On the other side of the net

Bill Huebsch has coached a lot of volleyball matches inside the HHS gymnasium, but until Friday night, he had never done it as the head coach of the visiting team.

For Huebsch, who is now the head coach at Browning, the experience of coaching against his old team, was different than anything he had experienced before in a coaching career that has now spanned more than two decades.

"It was just kind of weird, coming into town and coming into the gym," Huebsch said. "That's because I have had so many great memories here. I remember a lot of things that we have done here and a lot of the successes that we had while I was here. Those teams were so much fun to be around, so it was a little bit different to come in as a visitor instead of being the host team. I tried as much as I could to stay in the community and it didn't work out, and now I have the opportunity to help Browning turn things around."

There is no question that in the history of Havre High volleyball, no head coach is more decorated than Huebsch. In his 11 seasons leading the Ponies, his teams qualified for the Class A state tournament eight times. The volleyball program also won two of its three state championships with him at the helm, as HHS went back-to-back in 1998 and 1999, while also finishing as the runner-up twice, too.

"We had some really great teams, and I got the chance to coach some great players," Huebsch said, "so it's tough looking around and seeing everything that you helped build and now, you are no longer a part of it. So it's kind of surreal."

What made Friday night at the HHS gymnasium even more strange for Huebsch, was the fact than when he looked across at the Ponies, he saw his daughter Logan Huebsch, who is a senior for HHS, as well as one of its top outside hitters.

"I was hoping that I would at least get to see my younger daughter Devon (Huebsch) play, but our JV coach was unable to make it, so I ended up having to coach against both of my daughters," Huebsch said. "So that was a little ironic. But it was fun. We kind of talked a little smack to each other this week leading up to it, but it was good natured."

While Huebsch never planned on landing in Browning, he said the chance to build something there was exciting. He also said he felt energized by the opportunity to build a strong program in Browning, where the volleyball team doesn't have a strong history of success.

"Historically, it has been a struggle there (in Browning)," Huebsch said. "We have a lot of really good athletes, they just need to understand how to play the game, and if we could get even half of our athletes to play, we could have some great things happen. It's just like any other place, you have to get a program developed."

Huebsch certainly wants to turn Browning into a program that wins and with him at the helm, the other programs in the Northwest A should be on alert. But for now, at least, he is just glad to be back, teaching the sport that he loves.

"It's just fun to teach the game again," Huebsch said. "My team works extremely hard. We just have a lot of things that we need to figure out fundamentally, once we can get that down a little more, I think we have a chance. For me, it doesn't really matter where, I just enjoying being around the game and being able to teach it again."

So far, Browning is taking incremental steps forward. The Indians fell to the Ponies in straight sets, but did beat Ronan earlier in the year and despite winning just one match, have been much more competitive.

"Right now, we are 1-4 in the conference," Huebsch said. "But I think we should be about 3-2."

And as far as Havre is concerned, Huebsch will coach against his old team one more time this season. But this time, he will be at home, as the Indians will host the Ponies Oct. 12.

"It was a little bittersweet," Huebsch said of losing to HHS. "But I am proud of my girls. They work hard and have really taken me in and accepted me and they have treated me well."