A little support from friends and family goes a long way 

Growing up, Flathead senior Sami Dalager also had the support of her two older brothers, Jake and Colton. Her favorite thing to do with them?  

“Pick on them,” Dalager said. 

Despite being a self-proclaimed pest, Dalager’s brothers also pushed her to be better and get further than they have. 

Dalager's love of basketball came after her mother signed her up to play for a Rotary team. 

“My mom kind of just made me do it, and I loved it, so I just kept playing it.” Dalager said.  

Dalager now finds herself in her third varsity season with the Bravettes and, according to Flathead coach Kaylee Fox, she has developed into a great player and leader.

“No matter what it is, when you put her in a competitive situation, she wants to be her best,” Fox said. “She is great at connecting with our other teams as well, they love her. I think that is a testament to the connections that she tries to build with everyone.” 

The 2024-25 season hasn’t been the kindest to Dalager, who suffered a sprained ankle that kept her off the floor for a couple of weeks before an illness sidelined her a bit longer. Through it all, she has found a big support system in her teammates. 

“They have shown me a lot of love,” Dalager said. “It makes my day, and it lets me know that I always have a huge support system and I can keep on fighting through. 

“She has been driven pretty hard to get back,” Fox said. “She did her work and went into her rehab every day to get treatment. She really wanted to be a part of this team and put herself in a position to be playing.” 

Now back healthy, Dalager and the Bravettes prepare for their final crosstown matchup of the regular season, hosting the Glacier Wolfpack Thursday at 6 p.m. 

With Flathead, Dalager takes the floor with one of her oldest friends — and another support system — in Ava Malmin. 

“We have been playing basketball together since elementary school, we were on the same travel team,” Dalager said. “Her mom coached me, and we have always been super close.” 

“Back when we first started playing basketball we kind of clicked,” Malmin said. “I feel like we have a really deep connection.” 

Dalager and Malmin teamed up to coach a Rotary Basketball team this winter. 

“I would 100 percent do it again,” Dalager said. “My cousin was already coaching a team and they needed another coach and I got recruited. Then I got her to do it and that made us 10 times closer.” 

“She was a coach before me and texted me one day and said, ‘Can you help my guards’ and I just kept coming back,” Malmin said. “We have the same personality, so our coaching styles are very similar. We are like two peas in a pod.” 

When she isn’t on the court, Dalager is usually still playing something, be it throwing during track and field or — new for her in 2024-25 — playing flag football and joining the Flathead Black and Blue rugby team. 

“I felt lazy just doing nothing so I decided to join the flag football team,” Dalager said. “For Rugby, one of my best friends recruited me and I really liked it.” 

After high school, Dalager plans to continue her studies in college for education and hopes to continue competing either on the court or track. 

“I am open to other schools, but Dillon (Montana Western) is my number one right now.” Dalager said.