Flathead High School activities director Bryce Wilson announced Monday afternoon that Tasia Gates has been named the Bravettes head softball coach.

Gates was one of three finalists interviewed by a five-member committee last Wednesday. Wilson informed Gates on Friday she had been selected.

Her hiring will be recommended to the school board at its next meeting.

“Tasia has an incredible desire to move the Flathead softball program forward,” Wilson said in a press release. “She has a vision to better the program. She conveyed the need to make changes; possibly bringing on her former junior college assistant coach and pursuing a 90-day plan to improve the program and athletes immediately.”

Gates is a 2004 FHS graduate. She was a second-team all-state and first-team all-conference shortstop her senior season. She started for three years on the varsity and played on the Bravettes state championship team in 2003.

Gates has been a softball assistant under two different head coaches at Flathead. She teaches health and physical education at the high school.

This will be her first head coaching position.

“I’m really excited and the girls are, too,” she said.

“They are already talking about open gym. I’m looking forward to getting things rolling, getting things started.”

Gates replaces former Flathead standout Ashley Fusaro, resigned as the Bravettes head coach after three seasons. Flathead finished 5-15 overall in 2014, 6-17 in 2013 and 6-14 in 2012.

“I have a lot of school pride as a teacher in the school, being a former player and now I get the chance as a head coach,” she said.

“It’s pretty exciting.”

Gates played two years of collegiate softball at Spokane Falls Community College. She graduated from the University of Montana and received her teaching credentials through the University of Great Falls.

“I always had an idea I would be involved in sports in some way,” she said. “It was such a passion for me growing up. However I don’t think I ever imagined being a head coach one day when I was a player.”

Gates says she hopes to start an open gym for the players the end of this month, or early in December.

“For a program it’s important to start preparing for the season (which begins in March),” she said. “I’m anticipating a pretty young team coming up, but we do have some talent coming into the program.”

Gates said there will be three assistant coaches on her staff.