Lady Vikings coach adds to state-record win total

Charlo varsity girls basketball coach Bret Thompson is in a class by himself.

Thompson’s Charlo Lady Vikings beat Noxon, 51-18, last Friday night in the 14-C District playoffs. It was Thompson’s 600th career win and that leaves him with no peers in the history of Montana girls scholastic basketball.

Thompson was a mixture of thought and emotion when asked his feelings about winning 600.

“It’s been a fun road, everything positive,” Thompson said last Friday night after his Lady Vikings beat Noxon 51-18 in the semifinals of the 14-C District tournament.

“It’s all because of the kids,” Thompson said. “I’ve put a lot of time into it, but it’s all been repaid over and over.”

Thompson entered this, his 34th season with a career mark of 581-205. His Lady Vikings squad is 20-0 after winning Districts Saturday with a 48-32 win over Hot Springs.

But Thompson’s resume is much more than 600 wins.

While records are a bit sketchy on the Montana High School Association website, no other coach in Montana girls basketball history approaches Thompson’s 601 wins.

No. 2 on the Association’s list is Fromberg/Edgar’s Bob Vogel, who compiled 443 career wins. Vogel coached from 1973-2006.

No. 3 is Miles City’s Cary Veis, who won 433 games.

Thompson-coached girls teams have also won one Montana state title (Class C 2003) and played for another.

Thompson has coached cross country, track and field, junior high and varsity boys basketball as well.

Although he is not a runner, Thompson started the cross country program years ago at Charlo when he noticed there were a lot of kids that didn’t play football.

“We had the right kids and the right parents and it worked out,” Thompson said.

In track and field, Thompson has left his biggest mark, coaching Vikings boys teams to four state titles.

Thompson-coached Charlo teams have won dozens of district and divisional titles.

He is a 2020 finalist for a National High School Athletic Coaches Association award in boys track and field.

Thompson said he never envisioned being a head coach for so many years.

“I didn’t think I’d do it this long, but the kids keep making it fun,” Thompson said. “But I’m willing to be an assistant,” he said with a chuckle.

Thompson said he would have no trouble being an assistant coach. He is also proud that two of his former players, Shianne DuMont and Shianne Montgomery, are current assistants with him now.

Thompson has also been named the Montana Coaches Association Coach of the Year five times. He was inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame in 2015.

After graduating from Montana Western, he accepted a job teaching wood shop at Charlo. Along with the job was a position coaching girls basketball.

“I wasn’t sure about it at first,” Thompson said. “But my dad said I should take it if it meant getting the teaching job.”

It didn’t take Thompson long before he was dedicated to coaching basketball.

Not long after coming to Charlo, he became the head coach of the track and field team and boys’ basketball. Then, girls basketball was played in the fall and boys in the winter.

Two years later, the Association moved girls’ basketball to the winter season, so he dropped the boys coaching job.

Thompson was old-school, demanding and he had expectations.

“I believe the kids respond to that,” he said.

One thing he is very proud of is that he said be believes none of his teams has ever quit on him.

After teaching shop for 15 years, he spent 18 teaching history. He retired from teaching recently, but as for when he hang it up as a coach, there’s no telling when it may happen.

“Everyone says I am much more mellow than I used to be and that is something that comes with age, but I still have the passion to coach and teach,” Thompson said.

Another thing that gives Thompson warm feelings toward his career is the number of former competitors that still reach out to him.

“I like to hunt and fish, so it’s not unusal former students to call about that, or come over and tie flies and float the Clark Fork,” Thompson said. “That’s very special to me.”

Thompson’s Lady Vikings will continue their season this weekend at the Western C Divisional Tournament in Frenchtown.

They will play Manhattan Christian at 5 p.m. Thursday. A win in that game will put them in the semifinals with a 5 p.m. game Friday.

The championship game is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday.