THE END: Dustin Kraske retires from coaching after a brilliant Blue Pony career

It's been said: "All good things must come to an end"

But for the last 18 years, few people contemplated the end of one of the greatest high school girls basketball coaching careers in modern Montana history.

However, last week, that ending became a reality as Havre High head girls basketball coach Dustin Kraske announced he was stepping down as the most successful head basketball coach in Blue Pony history.

After devoting so much time and energy to cultivating a true high school basketball dynasty, which, under Kraske, became one huge family, Kraske said the reason he's putting down the whistle and the clipboard is to devote that same time and energy to the same thing - but now, it's his family that will get his undivided attention.. 

"I started thinking about this at the end of the 2023 season," Kraske, who will remain the Principal at Havre High, said. "The end of that year was difficult because I had a brand new baby at home. Then this year, Coach Burgess and I did work it out so I was able to have a few early days of practice each week, but, there were still two or three days every week where I wouldn't see my daughter at all.

"To do it this way, to coach this way, you have to devote everything you have to it," he added. "And as much as I love coaching this team, as much as I love being a Blue Pony and always will, as much as I love our kids, it's time to let someone else devote everything they have to this. It is time to let someone else have this be Number One, because I just wasn't willing to anymore."

Indeed, it is taxing to put together a program like the one Kraske built at Havre High.

Under his leadership, his year-round dedication, and just putting his heart and soul into it, the Blue Pony girls captured six state championships, starting with his first back in 2014. Kraske also led Havre to state championships in 2018 and 2019, and then, a three-peat from 2021-2023. At the Class A state tournament, Kraske's teams came up short of a trophy just three times in 18 season. He also led Havre to seven divisional championships between the Eastern A and old Central A, while reaching a divisional championship game 14 times in 18 years.

And while the trophies and the success meant a lot to so many, including the coach himself, it was the hard work, and relationships that made his career so special.

"I'm proud of the fact that we did the best we could," Kraske said. "When we started this, I always said, I just wanted our kids, our coaches, everybody involved, to work hard, and do the best we all could. I wanted us to play hard and never quit, to fight every night, and to just be better, and our kids always did that. They gave us everything they had, and I'm proud of our teams for that, and I'm so appreciative of all of our kids and their parents for giving us everything they had. 

"I'm also very proud, when I talk to all the young adults who have played for us over the years, to hear how successful they are in what they're doing now," he added. "That's what this is all about. That's what high school sports are about. To help young people learn and grow and move forward, and I'm proud of to have been able to do that for as long as I did. It's special."

Special also describes the relationship Kraske has with his program, and his school, and in turn the relationship the community has had with his teams over the years. Indeed. The Havre High girls basketball program is a source of major pride on the community, and that's never been lost on Kraske.

"I can tell you, we've always felt very supported," Kraske said. "And it means allot to me to know that there were many Sunday mornings that a lot of people in our community woke up with smiles on their faces because of the things we were able to accomplish. That means a lot to me.

"I am a Blue Pony, this is my hometown," he added. "So right from the start, I always felt a great responsibility to do the very best job we could. I think Havre girls basketball has always been such a strong program. All the way back to Steve Huston, to (Dennis) Murph (Murphy), everybody who has been a part of it, I just wanted to continue that, to make this a strong program. That was always really important to us, and I feel good about that. I know we were able to do that. We played well, sometimes really well, for many years. It's just amazing."

Like the cliche' says though, all good things do come to an end. And while Kraske is certain Havre High girls basketball will continue to be strong, in large part because of the culture that he himself cultivated the last 18 years, he says he feels good about leaving the gym, and he looks forward to his family, fatherhood and just being a Blue Pony fan - something he's been all his life.

"I'm at peace with the decision to let someone else do this now," Kraske said. "I'll always be a Blue Pony, I'll always be a fan, I'm going to be at all the games, none of that will change. But I'm also very happy to let someone else do this part now.

"But what a lucky moment in time," Kraske said. "For me to get to this for as long as I did. In my hometown. To coach at Havre High, to get to coach all these kids over the years, I just feel so lucky. All we wanted to do was do a good job. And I know we did that. I feel really good about that. I'm proud of everything we accomplished. It was a lot of hard work and dedication by so many people, and I'm just really happy I got to do this for as long as did."