Lights build chemistry in new digs

In NCAA Division I college basketball, having a fancy lockerroom has become par for the course, but at levels like the NAIA, it's easier said than done.

However, thanks to plenty of generosity, a lot of creativity, and plenty of hard work, the Montana State University-Northern men's basketball team has a lockerroom the Lights are certainly proud of, and one that they enjoy spending time in.

And when longtime Northern head coach Shawn Huse videoed his 2017-18 Lights' team as they were allowed to see the newly renovated lockerroom in the basement of the famed Armory Gymnasium, it was obvious - things had certainly changed.

"It's something that was very important to me," Huse said of the updates the Lights' lockerroom has seen in the last two years. "When I was in college, every athletic team pretty much shared one big open space. Every sport had its own row of lockers. So while we've always had our own space, what we did a couple years ago really allowed us to better utilize the space we have. Our lockerroom is better than it's ever been, and it's a place our guys feel safe and comfortable in, and it's a place that our recruits are really excited to see when they step in here."

Huse said renovations to the men's basketball lockerroom included removal of the old, cage lockers, and the removal of a large closet that occupied part of the room. That, he said, allowed his team to be able to have more space, and have a better vantage point to the front of the room when they're inside it.

Then came additions. Huse had customized wood lockers installed, with a ton of shelf space.

"I really liked this design because kids these days, they have a lot of shoes," Huse said, laughing. "The lockers we have now, there's a ton of storage space in the top and bottom."

There's something else Huse' lockers have, and it's something he said is important to his team's chemistry on and off the floor.

"No padlocks on the lockers," he noted. "We wanted our guys to be able to trust their teammates with all of their possessions, and then that trust extends outside the lockerroom. That's a feature I'm really proud of, and it's worked out really well."

Each player on the Northern roster also has his own folding chair, and they were specifically designed to fit taller, larger men for comfort Huse said.

Other additions include A large projector screen, a countdown clock on the wall that is connected to the scoreboards in the Armory, and signage to honor Northern's conference championship teams, conference tournament championship teams, 20-win seasons and national tournament appearances."

"It took a lot of work, and a lot of planning," Huse said. "But it's something that was well worth it. This is the place our guys spend a lot of their time in, and it's a place they bond in, and it's better than it's ever been before."

Indeed. Northern's locker room is an excellent facility and one every Northern player now cherishes. It's a place that Huse is proud to show potential and future Lights, and it's one that, he said, is a room he and the Northern program will be proud of for years to come.

"It was a collaborative effort of donations, and planning and hard work to get this to where it is now," Huse said. "We have a great space, it's really functional and it's a place our players enjoy being in. So I'm just really grateful to everyone who pitched in to help make this dream a reality."

Editor's Note: The fourth installment of the Havre Daily News Summer Series on MSU-N lockerrooms will run in in the July 28 HDN, when we take an inside look at the Skylight volleyball lockerroom.