Happy to just be back in the gym

With every turn of the leaves, and with fall well underway, the delayed 2020-2021 Frontier Conference basketball season inches closer. The Montana State University-Northern women's team is scheduled to open Frontier play in early December at Rocky Mountain College.

But the Skylights have really only just begun. They have had some practices over the last couple of weeks, with of course, COVID-19 restrictions fully in place. And, because of that, Northern head coach Chris Mouat, who returns an outstanding team of veterans including the veteran five-some of McKenzie Gunter, Allix Goldhahn, Peyton Kehr, Sydney Hovde and Tiara Gilham, is finally allowing himself to be excited about the upcoming season, which, for so long, has been in doubt due to the ongoing pandemic.

So, as October is about to turn to November, and the long-awaited start of the season draws closer, the Havre Daily News sat down with Mouat to reflect on all the Skylights have been through, and to look ahead to a season everybody is longing for.

HDN: Obviously last spring ended abruptly due to COVID. What sort of things were you able to do to maintain the connection to your team while you were apart?

Mouat: "Having things end the way they did, which was basically kids going home to spring break and not coming back, was tough. That being said, I think we all as coaches got very creative in terms of staying in touch with our kids. We did a few things on social media that I really liked, as well, because they involved all of our kids. To me the biggest thing we wanted to know through communication was that they were all OK and staying safe. It was just a really different time and even our normal off-season expectations had to be changed due to COVID. Some of our kids are from places where even the rims on outdoor courts were removed, and most gyms and weight rooms were closed for at least a good portion of our time apart."

HDN: What was the first few weeks of finally being back on campus like, being back with your team like?

Mouat: "The first few weeks were great. Things were pretty quiet for a long time around here, so having not only our players but all of our students and athletes on campus again was a breath of fresh air. It was so nice to have people on campus and see not only returners but the new kids we'd recruited. We did some basketball things during the first few weeks, but we focused on team-building just as much. With a 50/50 group of newcomers and returners I know that chemistry is going to be big for us. Of all of the kids we signed this year, only one actually made a campus visit due to the pandemic. Again, we got pretty creative in terms of recruiting virtually. We spent a ton of time just trying to make that personal connection with kids. It's hard to get them to understand just how great our fans and community support are without experiencing it. And it's hard to explain just how supportive our campus community is to our team. So we used a lot of former players in our virtual visits, which helped a ton. They were able to explain their experiences at Northern and talk about what life was like for them as Skylights. Our faculty and admissions staffs were also great, as they were willing to meet with kids and answer any questions that might have come up. In the end, going through a recruiting year like we had probably made everyone better because we all had to think outside the box. I think the recruiting was a definite team effort and all of Northern really had a hand in the kids we brought in."

HDN: What have practices been like, what sort of differences are you experiencing due to moving forward during the pandemic?

Mouat: "For a variety of reasons, we've only had four practices to this point, so we are basically in the beginning stages of development in all that we do. The practices that we have had have been great, we just haven't had very many. We've definitely had to make some changes to the way we operate due to COVID, and I appreciate how hard our kids have worked to do things right and with safety always at the forefront. I really like the energy this group brings every day and think that we have really good competition at all five spots, which is exciting and will only make us better. Plus, we have an outstanding group of leaders who are really helping the newcomers along. It's definitely a process, and one I feel like we are still just starting. We have a long way to go, but I like what we have been able to accomplish in the few practices we have had."

HDN: Looking forward to the season, we're going to play the old Frontier style schedule, like when we were young. What are your thoughts on that?

Mouat: "The back-to-back nights in the Frontier are tough, but I remember over the years that really anything could happen. Teams and coaches are going to make adjustments after the first night and roll it out again the next night. I remember nights where one team would blow the other team out and the next night the opposite would happen. That didn't happen all of the time but it did happen. It's going to make for quick turnaround time for our players and coaches."

HDN: With about a month until games start, what are some of the goals at this point?

Mouat: "Right now, we haven't even addressed many long-term goals. We're probably a few weeks from that. We just want to have the opportunity to practice and play and stay healthy. I think when it comes down to it, some of our goals never really change from year-to-year. We will want to earn a host bid in the Frontier Tournament and take it from there. If you're hosting in the first round, it means you've had a pretty successful regular season, and playing at home means the world for us, so it's always a goal. We will also continue to push for a team GPA of 3.5 or better. We were close last year - we did have five Academic All-Americans - so that's one I'd like to see us accomplish as well. Obviously, with division I and II combining, there are going to be a ton of changes, so we will see how it goes."

HDN: It's early, but give fans a sense of what you think your team is capable of this season?

Mouat: "I really like the pieces we have. It's tough to gauge this early on without many practices, but we return a ton of experience and leadership, four starters returning, and we have added some kids who will make an immediate impact for us. The league, as always, will be tough, but so far, I really like where we are at as far as effort and chemistry. Again, I feel like the competition at every spot, one through five, is going to be great for us. We have competitive kids who are going to push each other every day in practice and in the weight room. They have also been presented with plenty of opportunities to be there for one another and help each other out, and in that regard they've earned an A-plus."