New Pirates athletic director hopes to bring Polson athletic into new era

Polson High School athletic Don Toth was elected to proceed fromom former Pirates AD Jay Krantz entering the fall of the 2019-2020 school season.

After proceeding Krantz as the Pirates’ new athletic director, Toth said he is very motivated headed into the 2019-2020 season.

“I was motivated to become the A.D. at PHS as a way to advance my career while continuing to immerse myself in the alluring atmosphere of high school sports,” Krantz said.

Toth said he wouldn’t hesitate to try to make an immediate impact on the Pirates’ athletic programs, many of which have been in playoff contention for several years.

“My immediate goals for Polson’s athletic department is to re-energize our start to the next few school years with an emphasis on increasing Fall sports participation numbers and enthusiasm,” Toth said. “I have a goal to increase our school’s sense of spirit and pride.”

Toth, who will replace Krantz, a popular figure with the Pirates, holds a significant background in athletics before taking over for Polson’s highly regarded athletic department.

Toth is a native Montanian raised in the Frenchtown Valley through middle school and graduated from Hellgate High School in 1986.

After Hellgate, Toth’s playing career is extensive as he played football at Spokane Falls Junior College, then enlisted in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Infantryman.

Toth then served two tours of combat with the 1st Battalion 504th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

“I returned to Missoula to finish my B.A. at the U of M in 1994,” Toth said. “After graduation, I accepted a job in Law enforcement with the Spokane Sheriff’s Department.”

In 2006, after another four years, they ventured to take positions in the Polson area to help care for ailing family members. Jan continued her volleyball coaching, and Toth continued his football, and eventually softball.

Now in his 14th year teaching and coaching in Polson, I am starting a new chapter with the luxury of working with and impacting the lives of many more of Polson High School’s athletes with my new job as the Pirates’ athletic director entering the 2019-2020 school year.