NORTHWEST NOTES: Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016

Former Post Falls High softball coach

taking over program at Flathead High

Jack Foster, who led Post Falls High School to the 2010 state 5A championship, has been named the new head softball coach at Flathead High in Kalispell, pending school board approval.

Foster takes over for Tasia Gates, who stepped down last month. Gates, a 2004 Flathead grad, compiled an 8-35 record in two years at the helm.

Foster is a retired former middle school teacher who relocated to Kalispell in 2015, one year after stepping down as the softball coach at Post Falls. He led the Trojans for 17 seasons and said the retired life wasn’t exactly suiting him.

“I retired in May (2015) and by November I had to do something,” Foster told The Daily Inter Lake newspaper in Kalispell, Mont. “It didn’t last very long. I realized [coaching] is what I do and I enjoy doing it. I enjoy being around the kids. I’ve got plenty of time to retire later.”

Hatley named Washington Golf Association

men’s Mid-Amateur

Player of the Year

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Reid Hatley of Hayden Lake was named the men’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year, the Washington State Golf Association announced.

It is the second year in a row that Hatley has earned this honor, winning the men’s mid-amateur championship after finishing third last year and second the year before. He finished ninth at the Rosauers Open and made it to the Round of 32 in the PNGA Men’s Amateur. He was named to represent Team Washington in the 2016 USGA Men’s State Team Championship, where he finised tied for 12th individually. He was also the qualifying medalist for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, the second year in a row he has qualified for the national championship. He also qualified for and played in the 2016 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball.

Recipients will be honored during the 95th WSGA Annual Meeting on Saturday at Fairwood Golf & Country Club in Renton, Wash.