Larry's Legacy Traditional Cache

This location brings you to the parking area of the Polson Sports Complex.  One of the four fields was renamed 'Larry Smith Field' in May of 2021.  Larry Smith was a Polson High School Softball coach for 33 years, (1986-2018, 2 years - 86 & 87 as an assistant Coach and 31 years as Head Coach 88-18).  Under Larry's leadership the softball girls of Polson, MT brought home 7 state titles, 2 runner-up finishes, 2 third-place finishes and 11 Northwest Conference Trophies!  

Polson High had never had a softball team and when it started in 1986, they didn't even have fields to practice on and did so in a parking lot.  I had graduated the year before, in 1985, so didn't get the opportunity to play under Larry's direction, but my sister was in her Senior year during that first 1986 season and got the privilege of being coached by Larry.  

The complex is wonderful and has been a benefit to many kids young and old over the past years.  Please read this 406 MT Sports article about the renaming of one of the 4 Polson Softball fields to Larry Smith Field.

Side note:  My family has further ties to the location of these softball fields.  The land they sit on was taken by the city as "eminent domain" to build them.  My Great Grandfather, Homer Bailey was the landowner and/or his sons after his passing and the city claimed the lots and paid them a "fair" price inorder to build these girls softball fields.  I remember riding snowmobiles out in these fields as a kid before they were built.