Polson hires Carson Oakland as new football coach

Carson Oakland has found incredible success at Mission High School, guiding the Bulldogs to new heights. After advancing to the eight-man state championship game last year, Oakland will now add three more players on the field to his toolbox as the new coach at Polson High School.

"The Polson football program has been on the rise and has brought a lot of joy and support to the community," Oakland said. "I want to continue to build on that and set the tone with the kids we have.”

One of the primary factors that attracted Carson to the coaching position at Polson was the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream. Growing up in Glendive, he aspired to coach at the Class A level. Moreover, Carson's wife's employment at the local hospital made Polson an ideal location for him to advance his career while keeping his family close together.

While it was a professional move, he is deeply appreciative of the Mission High School community.

"Mission was the first school to take a chance on me as a head coach, and I am forever grateful to spend two years there," Oakland said. "Strangers became like family, and the community was supportive in our playoff runs. That was a very special place for me. Going to Mission I was fortunate enough to have a great group of kids to coach. I wouldn't be where I am at today if it wasn't for those kids and the dedication they had to Mission football, our school, and our community."

Considering the transition between his coaching positions, Carson spoke highly of Polson and Mission. He expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity that lies ahead for his family and himself, and says he’s already received a warm welcome from the Polson community.

"Luckily, with my wife working in Polson I was able to meet some great people in the community of Polson right away," Oakland said. "Coach Cox, Coach Staley, Coach Danely, and Coach Burrough, Coach Brown and Coach Lane have been very welcoming to me and taking stuff over for me until my family, and I move there in late June."

Polson reached the state semifinals last season but graduated standout quarterback Jarrett Wilson, who will play at Montana Tech this fall.

Throughout the interview, Carson emphasized the importance of building relationships with the current Polson players. He has already connected with the team multiple times, discussing expectations for the upcoming season. Carson was impressed by the players' hunger for success and their desire to improve.

He envisions his coaching staff working closely with the athletes, fostering an environment where they can thrive on and off the field. Carson said he aims to maintain an open-door policy, to provide guidance and support to the players, encouraging their growth as individuals and athletes.

"We are going to find an identity for next year that might be a little different from the past," Oakland said. "We want our kids to play fast and physically next year on both sides of the ball and control what we can control, and that is our attitude and our effort. We want to be playing our best football at the end of the year."

The new coach also has aspirations for Pirates beyond the football field.

“I want our kids to become great people, husbands, and fathers first and foremost,” he said. “When you have great people, you are disciplined and can play fast and hard-nosed. I want our kids to set the tone day in and day out."