BUTTE — After spending the past eight seasons as a high school basketball referee, Bryan Arntson was ready to experience the game from a different point of view.
"I kind of always knew that I wanted to get back into coaching, back on the sideline," Arntson said. "Just kind of get back into the team setting and looking forward to that every year."
A Butte High graduate and longtime assistant coach for the Bulldogs' football and track and field teams, Arntson is now set to become the head coach of the Butte girls basketball program. Arntson will succeed Maury Cook, who in March announced that he was stepping down from the position after a six-year run.
News of Arnston's selection for the position was first reported last week by ButteSports which noted that he will be officially tabbed as the coach at a school board meeting on Monday.
Arntson said he's grateful for the foundation set by Cook and is now looking to build off of that.
"Coach Cook did some great things," Arntson said. "I look forward to just continuing on with that. Kind of putting my own stamp on some things. Really just trying to instill in the kids to work every day and just try to get better."
His alma mater served as a great launching point for the Arntson, now a teacher, husband and father of two. He's hoping to instill some of those same principles in his players.
"Butte High's kind of in the blood and I just really want to see the kids that come through here be successful, to go on and learn those life skills that you could get out of sports, and just be able to be a positive impact in their lives," Arntson said.
If all of last year's juniors return next season for Butte, the Bulldogs would have a roster filled with eight seniors, including Kodie Hoagland who was tabbed as a Class AA all-conference honorable mention selection following last season.
