When you attend a Special Olympics event in central Montana, it’s hard to miss the Teton Tigers.
Their distinctive orange and camouflage shirts stand out on the track or in the field.
So do their large personalities.
And coordinating the chaos is longtime coach and program coordinator Steve Lettengarver.
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"I've been coaching them about 20 years. We have athletes from Fairfield, Augusta, Simms, Choteau and a couple from Great Falls,” Lettengarver said. "We got a great big area that technically spans all over but mostly the Teton County area."
Lettengarver never set out to be a coach. He started Special Olympics to give his youngest daughter Lexi, an athlete with intellectual disabilities, more opportunities.
But we all know how it goes when you start something small.
"Eventually when you get started, they put you in charge,” Lettengarver laughed.
When Lettengarver started coaching, the Tigers had just four athletes. They’ve since grown to 19 athletes of all ages and are very close knit.
In 2016 they were recognized as the Special Olympics Montana program of the year. And at the most recent state basketball competition, Lettengarver was named the 2025 SOMT Coach of the Year.
"I really don't like the recognition. It ain't about me. It's about the kids,” Lettengarver said. "So I appreciate the honor, but, yeah, it’s not about me.”
But regardless of what Lettengarver says, his athletes think the world of him, even if they won’t admit it.
When we asked athlete Mary Clark what Lettengarver was like as a coach, she didn’t hesitate to respond.
“Ruthless!” she joked. “Just kidding. He’s fun, most of the time.”
