Membership Application & Clinic Form

MCA Membership Requirements

A. Active members: Only such coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers or administrators who are or will be actively engaged in their respective professions in High School or Junior High and Elementary athletics in State of Montana and who are otherwise acceptable to the organization shall be eligible for active membership, and each active member shall have the privilege of one vote.

B. Associate Membership: Any college or out-of-state coach, athletic director or trainer is eligible for Associate membership. Also any individual who served at least 10 year in the coaching profession previously. Associate members are entitled to all privileges of the Association except voting privileges.

C. Honorary Membership: Honorary membership shall be conferred upon persons selected by the Administrative Board. Selections may be made from the coaching fraternity, athletic directors, athletic trainers, administrators, news media, etc. Selection shall be based on long time contributions to Montana athletic programs and/or to the Montana Coaches Association. Honorary members shall have the same privileges as Associate members and shall have their dues waived.

Become a Member Now

Benefits of Becoming a Member of the MCA

1. Hosts an annual MCA All Sport Coaches Clinic in August featuring college coaches from all over the United States plus outstanding Montana High School coaches. Also features Sports Medicine and Athletic Director sessions with rave reviews. Social highlights of the clinic include an opening night steak fry and horse races, a reception hosted by the Frontier Conference, social night at the Flamingo and the annual MCA Awards Ceremony and Luncheon. 2 semester college credits are offered. OPI equivalency credits are available at no extra charge.

2. Has established a Montana Coaches Hall of Fame with 194 members inducted since 1982. Additional members will be added through the years. We solicit your nominations. In the fall of 2018 a digital display will be permanently displayed on the MCA website and at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at MSU. Individuals receive 8 x 10 plaques. Members are granted lifetime passes to all MHSA athletic contests and tournaments. Contact Scott King of Malta to get nomination forms.

3. Selects from its members, nominees for national Coach of the Year in all high school sports with qualified members. Montana has had 24 National Coaches of the Year and 28 inductees into the NHSACA Hall of Fame. If you would like to suggest a nominee for these honors, please contact a board member. The NHSACA suggests at least 30 years of service.

4. Awards All-Conference and All-State certificates to athletes in all MHSA sanctioned sports. Contact your Shirley Chesterfield-Stanton for more information.

5. Honors outstanding student athletes, cheerleaders and managers with Academic All-State Certificates in all MHSA sponsored sports.

6. Selects from its members, Coaches of the Year in all high school sports with 35 or more member head coaches. An exception will be made to the “35” minimum if a sport (boys or girls) has 75% of eligible head coaches as members. First time winners are awarded beautiful rings and all recipients receive plaques. Other nominees and member assistants to Coaches of the Year are awarded certificates. Deadlines for joining to be eligible for Coach of the Year nomination are October 1st for fall sports, February 1st for winter sports and May 1st for spring sports. Two “Special Sports” Coaches of the Year are selected from sports that do not meet the above requirements.

7. Presents an Assistant Coach of the Year award to honor the assistants who contribute so much to athletic programs. High School or Junior High coaches may be nominated by any MCA member. Shirley Chesterfield-Stanton has nomination forms. Winners are awarded a ring.

8. Presents Longevity certificates for 15 and 20 years and plaques for 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 years and up. Five years of service must be in Montana and you must have been active in Montana the year before your award.

9. Works closely with the MHSA to benefit Montana coaches.

10. Has requested and received free admission policies for regular season games with the Community Colleges, the Frontier Conference schools and MSU-Billings, plus Grizzly and Bobcat games which are not sellouts.

11. Has an agreement with all MHSA schools to admit MCA members to regular season games upon presentation of MCA card.

12. Strives to promote better athletic programs in Montana at all levels and to improve conditions for coaches. Questions and suggestions are welcomed. Please contact your class representative or one of the officers.

13. Awards $750 college scholarships each year to three senior boys and three senior girls. Two of those will be awarded to recipients attending Frontier Conf. Schools. FRONTIER CONFERENCE is our corporate sponsor, donating $1,500 each year,

14. Two $1300 “Ralph Halvorson College Scholarships” are awarded each year. (donations are welcome to sustain this fund).

15. Cooperates with Bozeman Trophy to select each year an “Outstanding Contributor to Montana Athletics”. A beautiful plaque is presented at the Clinic by Bozeman Trophy. Contact Patrick Schumacher of Bozeman Trophy for nomination forms.

16. Enrolls members in a million-dollar coach's personal liability insurance policy. This includes coverage while working camps of sports that are approved by the MHSA. College and out-of- state members are also covered. Coaches who are also teachers, are covered while in the classroom, including Sexual Abuse Liability Coverage with a per member
limit of $25,000.

17. Affiliates with the National Organization of Coaches Association Directors (NOCAD) allowing us to share in their liability insurance program.

18. MCA website: www.montanacoaches.com allows online access to MCA communications, news and activities.