MILES CITY, MONTANA: Like many employees at a smaller campus like Miles Community College, Chase Tait is one who wears many, many hats. His current titles include Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Math Instructor, Assistant Athletic Director, and Sports Information Director (SID).
Growing up in Western Montana, Chase found himself picking culls at a cherry plant as his first job in the town of Polson. He also worked at the local Safeway grocery store and later landed himself his “first real life job” as a junior high teacher in Fairfield.
Chase has been at the college since 2009 and is currently an MCC faculty member, teaching math courses (Intermediate Algebra being his favorite). His days consist of using all of those many hats, starting with a quick work out and opening the Centra fitness center on campus each morning. From there, he gets ready for classes and team practice, competing both on and off campus on game days, all while conquering his Assistant Athletic Director and SID duties in between.
Clearly, teaching and sports has been his life for quite some time now. “This is all I have ever known,” Chase states. “I don’t have any idea what else I would be doing.”
His favorite part of working at MCC is having the freedom to do his job and being able to get to know so many students and student-athletes along the way. His greatest achievements include having had the opportunity to coach in seven state high school championship games, two Region IX Final Fours, and one Region XIII Championship, all while learning skills and techniques from some of the greatest coaches in Montana basketball history.
“As a person, you only have control of two things; your effort and your attitude” he says when asked for his favorite piece of advice. “Make sure you have those two things squared away!”
It comes as no surprise that when asked what sort of adventure or experience he would like to have, Chase answers with more interest in basketball. “I have always wanted to follow a professional-level basketball coach and team for a week to see what their days consist of.”
When he is finally able to remove those hats, Chase spends his time outside of work playing golf and hanging out on his back deck with the love of his life, Kristin.
