Glasgow AD Looks to Scotties' Future

Brenner Flaten's recent achievement as a Certified Master Athletic Administrator has been three or four years in the making. But his love and pride in the Glasgow Scotties has been a lifelong passion. And that passion is what he brings to his job and extracurricular programs at Glasgow schools.

Hit up any home Scottie event and somewhere along the sidelines or in the stands you'll find Flaten, cheering on his beloved Scotties, updating social media for far flung Glasgow fans and ensuring a positive environment for athletes, students and fans.

"There's a lot of time involved. You have to have the support of family if you're going to be an athletic administrator. You know you're going to be working a lot of nights, working a lot of weekends," Flaten explained. "You better be okay with that, your family better be okay with that. And you better love sports too because you're going to be watching a lot of them."

Fortunately for the Glasgow schools' activities director, and for the community, he has more than the understanding of his family. His wife, Alison Flaten, and three young daughters are often at those events, embracing Scottie life and rocking Glasgow gear, supporting their community, and their husband and father.

The Flatens are a living embodiment of the branding the AD has worked to build and promote for Glasgow schools. He focused on the Glasgow Scotties brand for has certification through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administration.

Flaten points to the support the Scotties receive, from the yard posters to license plates, to showcase what being a Scottie means here. "We are essentially the college here," he says, noting that as a hub in northeastern Montana and without a college team for hours, Glasgow fills a void.

Building off the uniqueness of the Scotties' support and Glasgow's geographical location, Flaten has worked to promote Glasgow as place where students and families can establish their foundations.

"I want people to understand how important extracurriculars are," he told the Courier. "We want to have good students, kids who take their studies seriously but we also want to have kids that are well rounded." Flaten looks at his students as a whole person while working to prepare them for college, tech school, and the work force. He noted that while the schools strive to prepare their students academically, extracurriculars provide education that cannot always be gained at a desk.

Whether through team sports, individual sports, or non-athletic activities, Glasgow students can learn the value of support networks, perseverance and demanding coaches outside the classroom. These lessons and experiences can open doors for students beyond Glasgow.

Flaten uses himself as an example. The GHS graduate went on to a four-year university due in part to his athletic accomplishments. His opportunity led to a degree and a master's in the educational field, which he also used to return to his home town.

"I tell you what, there's a reason I came back. There's a reason a lot of us came back." That reason for Flaten can be easily summed up – small town America.

Of Glasgow, he said, "Now we're small town America ratcheted up a couple notches because Glasgow does it the right way in a lot of ways. We have these traditions. We have this great support. We have this unbelievable homecoming that I only wish everybody could experience. So people see those things and they think they could see themselves raising their kids here. And they could see themselves sticking around longterm because they want good experiences for their kids. And I always say that's why it's important to invest in your community. It's important to pump the brand. We're the Glasgow Scotties."

Flaten sees his Scotties and the community pride as a big draw to bring new families to the area. He pointed other athletics as a draw also, highlighting the new pool fundraising activities. But his goals and visions for extracurricular activities extend beyond Glasgow.

With his new certification and as the longest tenured AD in northeast Montana, Flaten serves as a resource for new ADs in the region. "Covid hit athletic directors hard, we lost a lot," he said. Flaten offers himself up to his peers, knowing building up those programs can only benefit Glasgow over time.

He laughed about what was then the upcoming rivalry football game between Glasgow and Malta, saying that while some people may not like Malta, no one wants their program to go away. "I look back at my high school games against Malta. Without those rivalries, it would have been a lesser high school experience."

Flaten brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his position as Athletic Director for Glasgow schools, which he hopes will help other schools build and maintain their programs. In addition to providing a rewarding experience to his athletes, helping other schools maintain their class status and programs means a financial benefit to Glasgow, cutting down on travel expenses for the school.

Flaten's master certification has far-reaching potential for the Scotties and Glasgow, just as he hopes for for his students in extracurricular activities. He points to the strength of past tradition while also embracing opportunities to forge new traditions. Flaten is leading by example, using extracurriculars as a springboard to success, raising the mantle for future generations of Scotties to carry.

"Glasgow's got a lot going for 'em," he said. "We have a good future."