Karen Bouda, the swim coach for Kalispell’s AA schools the past six seasons, has resigned according to a release from Matt Allison, assistant principal and activities director for Flathead High School.

The resignation came in the spring, Allison noted. Both he and outgoing Glacier High activities director Mark Dennehy spoke highly of the coach in the release, which came to the Daily Inter Lake on Thursday.  

“Karen did an amazing job leading our teams through the years,” Dennehy said. “She worked diligently and communicated with a zest and passion for the sport that was admirable.  Her work ethic was second to none and we will miss her leadership.”   

“Coach Bouda has been a wonderful coach and mentor to the youth of Flathead Valley for a long time,” Allison said. “She has led our high school swimming programs with expertise, care, and excitement for swimming. Her legacy as the Kalispell Public Schools Swim coach will be remembered as she has made connections with countless youth and adults.” 

Bouda called her combined teams the “BravePack,” since both AA schools did their workouts in the same pool, at Logan Health Fitness. 

Led by 100 freestyle champion Olivia Gibbons, the Wolfpack girls tied for sixth with Missoula Hellgate at the most recent State Swim Championships, held in Great Falls in February. Flathead sent no girls to State; Glacier’s boys were 10th and Flathead’s boys were 13th out of 14 teams.  

The Glacier programs had some highlights in Bouda’s tenure: The girls were fifth in 2020, tenth in 2021 and fourth in 2022, 2023 and 2024; the boys finished second in both 2022 and 2023, then were eighth in 2024. 

Flathead’s top finish was seventh for the boys in 2020. 

Bouda had a handful of state champions, including the 2023 400 boys freestyle relay and the boys 200 freestyle relay in 2022.  

Gibbons, who has signed to swim for Division II University of Mary in North Dakota, won the 100 freestyle last season and also in 2023.  

Isaac Keim swept the boys 50 and 100 freestyle races in 2023.