JACK NOWLIN Star-Tribune sports editor | Posted: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 12:00 am
Gillette College has just three competitors at this year's College National Finals Rodeo.
Expect that number to grow in years to come.
In its first year competing collegiately the women's team roped and rode its way to a third-place finish in the Central Rocky Mountain Region while the men's team finished a respectable seventh.
"I'm excited about our future," Gillette coach Will LaDuke said. "We've got a good group of kids coming in next year and I think we're only going to get better."
Given the success of most Gillette athletic teams that shouldn't come as a surprise.
Upon LaDuke's hiring in October of 2006, school dean Dr. Paul Young said, "We now have an athletics program at Gillette College."
Gillette will add cross country later this year and basketball in two years.
But rodeo will always be first. And LaDuke said it might not be too long before Gillette is best.
"We've got a lot going for us," he said. "We're not a real big school, but we're more about quality, not quantity.
"I just think the school has a lot to offer students."
According to LaDuke, the rodeo team already has a lot to offer incoming cowboys and cowgirls.
That includes Max Burch, a local stock contractor based in nearby Rozet, who provides roughstock to numerous rodeos in the area.
"Max Burch Rodeos pretty much gives us whatever we ask for," LaDuke said. "They let us use their stock and that means a lot to a young program like ours."
It also helps that LaDuke can convince proven CNFR veterans like steer wrestler Brad Johnson to help his fledgling program. Johnson, a native of Reva, S.D., competed in team roping at last year's CNFR while at Eastern Wyoming.
He finished Monday's first go-round tied for third place in steer wrestling with a 3.9-second clocking.
"(Gillette) is a good place to be," Johnson said. "It's got great facilities and I think there's a real good foundation in place for the team to be successful."
According to Duke, Johnson is the key to that foundation. Johnson used to attend calf-roping clinics that LaDuke hosted, so when LaDuke was hired as Gillette's coach he wasted little time in getting in touch with Johnson. It was a call that proved to be beneficial for both parties.
Johnson won the CRMR steer-wrestling title and finished fourth in the region's all-around race.
"Brad is our leader," LaDuke said. "He's not afraid to be aggressive every time he goes out there and that's what you need to do."
With Johnson having graduated, LaDuke expects Chason Floyd, a freshman steer wrestler, to fill that void the next three years. Floyd finished tied for 11th in the first go with a run of 4.3 seconds.
Barrel racer Jessi Cates, who finished second in the region in barrel racing, helps round out Gillette's CNFR team.
And LaDuke is already working on making sure there isn't a void in team leadership in the future.
"I think our location really caters to South Dakota kids," he said, "but I've recruited South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska pretty heavy.
"It also helps that I have a lot of friends I've rodeoed with over the years and so they're always calling me up and telling me when there's a kid I need to come check out."
The best recruiting tool, however, remains the school's location.
"The Gillette community has been very supportive," LaDuke said. "And the school keeps getting better. We've got a new tech center going up and a nursing center and we're adding dorms … I'm excited about our future."
Contact sports editor Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com.