Former coach returning to NWC rodeo

After being named the Big Sky Region coach of the year in 2009-2010, longtime Northwest College rodeo coach Del Nose had intended to trade rodeo life for the opportunity to manage a ranch in Montana. Just 19 months later, he’s back at the helm of the program he oversaw from 1998-2010.

“I’m thrilled to be back,” Nose said. “I’m looking forward to doing some recruiting and making it to the national finals with some quality team members.”

Northwest College announced last Thursday that a nationwide search of candidates had resulted in Nose’s hire.

In making the return midseason, Nose will step in at the helm of a program currently in contention for a women’s team berth to the College National Finals Rodeo. The Trapper women enter the new year in second place in the Big Sky Region and hold a 95.5-point lead over the University of Montana for the second of two team qualifying spots.

It’s a position that shouldn’t be unfamiliar to Nose. Under his watch, the Trappers’ rodeo program enjoyed some of its best CNFR finishes. He also served as the Big Sky Region’s faculty director for the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association for a decade. He’s served as a pro judge for the Professional Rodeo Association since 1979 and was a Dodge Rodeo reresentative for more than eight years.

Nose was inducted into the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2008.

“It’s good to know I’m coming back to a first-rate program that’s been well managed,” said Nose, whose wife Becky has served as one of the team’s interim coaches during the first semester of the school year. “I appreciate all Becky’s done, and I know the college does too.”

While Nose is a longtime icon of Northwest College rodeo — prior to coaching for the school, Nose was a competitor for the Trappers’ rodeo team — he will step into a position that’s somewhat different from the one he left. Nose returns to an expanded position that includes fundraising, event coordination and barn, facilities and livestock management, as well as other duties. He will manage the former Heart Mountain Equestrian Center, located between Powell and Cody. Northwest College made arrangements to purchase the facility last month after leasing it for several years.

Still, it’s hard not to see Nose as anything but a coach first and foremost.