George Ferguson: You may not love the praise, but I'm giving it to you anyway … Dustin Kraske, you are a special coach

GREAT FALLS - As someone who has coached high school sports for almost 20 years, and has even been lucky enough to hoist a few state championship trophies along the way, I can attest to how hard it all is.

That's right, coaching is hard. Winning is hard. But they're both a lot of fun, too.

And knowing that, I find myself in awe of just what Havre High head girls basketball coach Dustin Kraske has accomplished in his time at the helm of the Blue Ponies, I'm in awe because I know just how hard it is to do what Dustin has done.

And what Kraske has done is lead Havre to four Class A state championships since 2014, including Saturday night's double-overtime thriller over Billings Central. Kraske has now led Havre to three titles in the past four years and, incredibly, the Ponies have won them all inside the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.

Yes, under Kraske, the Blue Ponies are a girls basketball dynasty Class A hoops hasn't seen. And while all of the amazing statistics and milestones the Blue Ponies have achieved under Kraske during this incredible run might make it seem like it's been easy, trust me, it's anything but.

Now, knowing Dustin as I do, I know he's gladly heaping the credit and praise upon the many, many outstanding, dedicated and wonderful players he's coached during this run the Ponies are on. And those players deserve the praise, because year-after-year the Blue Ponies have been loaded with talented and special girls, who together, have helped build this thing into what it is to do. Make no mistake, as a coach, I know you don't win without talent, and the Havre High girls have had lots of it.

Kraske, no doubt, also gives plenty of props to his assistant coaches, Haley Criner and Kelly Veis, because that duo has been with him every step of the way. And there are certainly others in Dustin's corner who have helped shape the Pony dynasty, and I know Dustin will give everybody their due, and believe me, they all deserve it because, as I can attest, you don't get to where the Ponies are right now by doing it all by yourself. It takes a team. It takes everybody in it together, and Kraske has that within his program.

However, while I know Dustin will be busy praising and thanking his team, players and coaches, over the coming days as they celebrate yet another state championship, I will do that very same thing for the head coach. Because, while Dustin may not want or be interested in the attention himself, that doesn't mean it shouldn't come his way.

No, it's quite the opposite.

Bottom line, coach Kraske, has become one of the greatest high school girls coaches in recent Montana history. It's a fact, and it's praise he very much deserves.

And none of it is by accident.

As a coach at Havre, and the sports editor at the Havre Daily News, I've watched Dustin for nearly two decades now grow as a coach, hone his craft, put in the time and effort, be dedicated to not only the game, but to building his program into what it is today.

And what the Blue Ponies are today is an amazing Class A dynasty. And while it's all true, it takes great players, great assistant coaches, it takes development through your feeder programs, it takes parents dedicated to the mission, as well, and more, it also takes someone to lead it all. It takes a great head coach, it takes someone who is dedicated to the game, and to his program, not just for a season, but year-round, year-after-year.

To do everything that Havre High has done in the last decade, and likely will continue to do, it takes a great head coach. And that's exactly what Dustin Kraske is. Fact. Period. The end. Dustin is a great head basketball coach. Yes, I'll say that again, Dustin is a great head coach, and Blue Pony Nation is lucky to have him.

Of course, we in Blue Pony Nation, we already know how lucky we are to have Kraske leading the Blue Ponies. And we got a thrilling reminder of just how lucky we are again Saturday night in Great Falls.