Emslie back at the helm of BHS football

Todd Emslie has been selected as the new head football coach for Bigfork High School, a position he is returning to after a five year absence.

Emslie was BHS’ head football coach for five years, and prior to that served as an assistant coach for the program for eight years.

“We’re excited to have him coming back to coach for us,” said Matt Porrovecchio, BHS assistant athletics director and one of Emslie’s former players.

Emslie chose to step down after the 2003 football season to spend more time with his family while his children were babies. His son Alex is nine now, and looking forward to playing his first year of Little Guy Football next season. His youngest, Hattie, is seven and in the first grade.

“My family is older now and my competive juices are flowing again,” Emslie said. “I love football. I just love the game and I really like being around high school kids.”

Emslie, who has been a science, history and physical education teacher since 1990 at Swan River School, knows the players who attended his school, but is unfamiliar with those that went to Bigfork Elemetary and Middle School. However, he is looking forward to making contacts with those students, and working with all of the boys interested in playing on the team.

“I’m glad to have the opportunity — whether we have a winning season or not — to make it a program that kids have a good time being a part of and look back on it and say that ‘playing high school football was a really fun time in my life.’”

Emslie has already started putting together his coaching staff for next year, and is planning on working with many of the coaches he had on his team during his prior coaching years.

“I called up all these guys and said ‘I’m putting the band back together,’” Emslie said, referencing a line from the movie “The Blues Brothers.”

Emslie will need to put together a quality “band” to help him face the challenges ahead. Bigfork’s varsity football team hasn’t won a game since they beat Ronan in the 2005 season.

“We’re comfortable that Todd knows the challenges of taking over the program and we’re excited about him returning,” said Matt Jensen, BHS assistant principal and activities director.

This challenge is familiar territory for  Emslie, who began coaching the year after the Vikings’ 0-7 1990 season. As an assistant, he helped the program turn that around to a 4-4 season in 1991.

Emslie’s first year as head coach in 1999 was a challenge as well. After the team had a 2-6 season in 1998, the size of the team dropped from around 60 to just 38 players, and the team’s only win that year was their first game of the season. By Emslie’s second year as head coach, he had more than 50 players on the team, which made it to the first round of playoffs and finished the year 5-4. Emslie’s team made it to the playoffs the following two years as well.

“I’m not going to say that I can do it,” Emslie said about turning the football program around. “I’m going to say it’s been done before. It’s not about me. It’s about the kids. You have to get the kids to buy into the program and get them to enjoy themselves out there.”

Jensen said that he recommended Emslie for the position because, “He brings successful experience, a commitment to the community and students and enthusiasm about taking on the challenge. He is realistic about the challenges and he wants to be the coach here for a while.”

Emslie’s commitment to Bigfork is directly correlated to his family.

“When I moved to Bigfork I knew I wanted to stay here and raise a family,” said Emslie, who met his wife Shelley in Bigfork. “I have friends that have moved around a lot to take different coaching jobs, but this is where I want to stay.”

Coaching is a passion for Emslie. In addition to football, he has also coached basketball at SRS off and on since 1988.

Emslie’s coaching career began while he was still in college.

Emslie attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played on the football team until he was in a near-fatal car accident that left him unable to play. He took on the roles of quarterback coach and offensive coach for three years following the accident.

“I was at a crossroads,” Emslie said. “I knew that if I wanted to stay around the game that I would have to coach.”