Legendary golf coach steps down

After more than two decades of leading

the Bulldog golf team, legendary coach Terry Nelson has announced

he is stepping down from his post.

“It’s just time,” Nelson told the Pilot

on Monday. “It’s been a long run, and it’s just a good time to

retire.”

He had considered retiring last year,

but gave it one more go around this past fall. The Bulldogs boys

team finished in second-place this year at the Class A state golf

tournament, and the girls took fourth.

“There’s a great group of kids coming

back,” he said. “There’s nothing negative about retiring.”

Whitefish athletic director Jackie

Fuller said Nelson was a “class act” throughout his tenure.

“He’s been an outstanding role model,”

Fuller said. “I’m blessed to have been able to work with him as a

coach. He built a tradition and there’s a lot of pride in that

program.”

Nelson began coaching the Bulldogs in

1985 along side coach Mike Dowaliby. A few players on the 1985 boys

team included Matt and Jeremy Nelson, Todd and Tim Olson, Doug

Reed, Greg Newton, Glenn Gustafson, Jeff Pennecard, Frank Lamb and

Rocky Waterbury.

Over the course of Nelson’s career he

amassed 23 state championships, including 15 for the Lady Bulldogs

which is the third most in the U.S. He was recently inducted into

the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame,

he won National Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007, he has been

Montana Coach of the Year 18 times and is also in the Montana

Coaches Hall of Fame. In 2007, Golf Digest magazine recognized

Nelson with an individual award.

Nelson told the Pilot in a July

interview that his tenure as coach has never been about winning —

although it has always followed him.

“As a coach, we never talk about wins

or losses,” Nelson he said. “It’s not about winning championships.

It’s about getting kids involved and becoming life-long

golfers.”

No decision has been made about who

will fill Nelson’s shoes as coach but Nelson says there are many

good candidates.

“We’ve had some discussions about

that,” he said “There are several candidates. I probably wouldn’t

have retired if I didn’t think there was a good replacement.”

Fuller said Nelson will help her with

finding a replacement.

“We’re losing a legend,” she said.

“He’ll be tough to replace.”