PHS Athletics hosts third annual Purple and Gold Day
EMILY MESSER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 months, 2 weeks AGO
Sisters Gabby Luke and Maisie kick goals with the Lady Pirate Soccer team members on Aug. 21 during Purple and Gold Day. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Polson School District Superintendent. Andy Fors grills hot dogs for the crowd at Linderman field during Purple and Gold Day on Aug. 21. (Emily Messer/Leader)
John Lapotka launches a soccer ball past the Pirate soccer goalie again and again during Purple and Gold Day. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Students spike the volleyball over the net during Purple and Gold Day on Aug. 21. Fall sport athletes let kids of any age try out their sport during the event. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Teacher Brett Owen and Emma Boogerd who designed the Polson High School Booster Club T-shirt. (Deanna McElwee/Courtesy of PHS Booster Club)
Emily Messer joined the Lake County Leader in July of 2025 after earning a B.A. degree in Journalism from the University of Montana. Emily grew up in the rolling hills of southeast Missouri. She's lived in Montana since 2022 and honed her reporting craft through the UM J-School newspaper and internships at the RMEF Bugle Magazine and the Missoulian. At the Leader, she covers government, business, education, agriculture and community news. Contact Emily Messer at [email protected] or 406.883.4343 | August 28, 2025 12:00 AM
Polson Pirate athletes filled Linderman field Aug. 21 for Purple and Gold Day with the goal of meeting and interacting with the next generation of Pirates.
Polson High School Athletics has been hosting Purple and Gold Day since Sean Dellwo was hired as athletic director three years ago. Dellwo said typically they have a fall sports scrimmage for the crowd but this year they decided to focus on getting eighth graders and younger students revved up to become Pirates.
“The best part about this and the reason we started doing this was to get kids excited about being Pirates and Lady Pirates in the future,” Dellwo said.
The event offered party inflatables, interaction and activities with fall sports athletes and free hot dogs grilled by Polson School District Superintendent Andy Fors. Future Pirates had the opportunity to kick soccer goals and throw footballs with current Pirate athletes.
Polson Booster Club also teamed up with the event to fundraise by selling shirts. But this year the club is starting something new by having a Polson High student design a yearly shirt. Brett Owen had students in his class design the shirt, which will be the only apparel sold by the club.
Senior Emma Boogerd’s design was chosen by the club and Owen helped with some refinements for the final product. The club plans to continue this opportunity for Polson students to design each year's shirt.
Purple and Gold Day was kitty corner from the Polson Chamber of Commerce Business Pulse Block Party and had a successful turn out of students, athletes and future Pirates.
Polson School District Superintendent. Andy Fors grills hot dogs for the crowd at Linderman field during Purple and Gold Day on Aug. 21. (Emily Messer/Leader)
John Lapotka launches a soccer ball past the Pirate soccer goalie again and again during Purple and Gold Day. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Students spike the volleyball over the net during Purple and Gold Day on Aug. 21. Fall sport athletes let kids of any age try out their sport during the event. (Emily Messer/Leader)
Teacher Brett Owen and Emma Boogerd who designed the Polson High School Booster Club T-shirt. (Deanna McElwee/Courtesy of PHS Booster Club)ARTICLES BY EMILY MESSER
Looking Forward: A Note from Your New Editor
I would like to take this opportunity to officially introduce myself. My name is Emily Messer, and I am honored to be taking on the role of editor at the Lake County Leader.
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