HELENA — After an extensive hiring process, the Montana High School Association has hired Polson High School principal Scott Wilson as its next assistant director.
The field of 18 candidates was narrowed down to four before the MHSA’s Executive Board ultimately recommended Wilson for the hiring. Wilson brings experience as a coach, athletic director, administrator, and event manager in various sports.
“(Wilson) brings a great deal of experience across a number of sports as well as his experience as an administrator,” MHSA executive director Mark Beckman said. “He has great relationships with administrators across Class A as well as across the other classifications, so he’s a tremendous addition.”
Wilson was a teacher and a coach at Missoula Big Sky for nine years before moving to Polson where he’s been for 17 years. Wilson taught, coached, and then served for many years as an administrator, activities director, and principal at Polson.
“I’ll use the same ideas I did to build relationships with administrators in Class A. I do know quite a few administrators throughout, but I think that will be one of the challenges, to make sure that I do build relationships so that when I’m working with those schools, they feel confident and comfortable when they talk to me and have to make that call,” Wilson said.
The new career path is something that Wilson has entertained for a few years. He will retire from educating at the end of June and begin his new position with the MHSA in July. Wilson will be in charge of soccer, speech and drama, the music programs, and will be the Title IX coordinator.
Wilson will replace Joanne Austin, who is retiring at the end of the month after 32 years with the MHSA.
“The last three, four, five years I’ve kind of wanted to throw my hat into the ring,” Wilson said of the MHSA opening. “This year, with Joanne stepping down, it just worked out professionally for me. I think being an athletic director for 15 years is where I have the most preparation. I think all of the different positions I’ve held will help me in the new position.”
