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Marj Markle Makes Scottie History

Becomes Only Second Scottie Inducted Into State Hall of Fame

For Marj Markle, basketball started at a young age among her competitive siblings. She remembered playing ball in the driveway of their home on the Glasgow Air Force Base almost every night. As the middle child of six-stuck smack in between four brothers and the youngest of only two girls-Markle remembered learning to play tough early on. That grit and competitiveness would lead to a lifetime of athletic achievements, putting her name in the Montana High School Association Hall of Fame this year, placing her in an exclusive list of only two Glasgow Scotties.

"My brothers and I would play almost every night in our driveway, weather permitting," recalled Markle, adding that they were an extremely competitive family. When asked if she thought playing with four brothers made her the player she became, she replied, "Definitely." Those early years also taught her lessons she would be able to apply to future

competitions. "I remember my dad always said after games, 'Keep your chin up. Did you have fun and did you play hard?'"

Markle did not start playing team basketball until eighth grade. By the midpoint in her freshman year she was on the varsity team and playing off the bench at point guard. The transition was intimidating, though, as back then the freshmen class attended the junior high and not the high school. Markle said that with the help of Karen LeGaree and Sue Whitmer-two upperclassmen on the team-she was able to handle the unknown.

"They really took me under their wing," explained Markle. "Without them it would have been difficult."

That year the Scotties went to State to claim fourth. Markle shined early and ended up starting her sophomore year when the Scotties would return to the state tournament but not place. Undeterred, Markle helped lead the team to the State Championship in 1981, playing against "friendly rivals" Glendive and after coming out on top, Markle said the teams sat together and talked as friends before the awards ceremony.

Markle said the two teams consisted of the same players for two to three years and that chemistry developed a friendship between the two competitive teams that, she says, "was just an experience that I don't know if kids get that today-that camaraderie."

Markle was awarded the tournament MVP and, despite being the de-facto leader of that champion team, she drew the attention to the entire team who she credits with both the championship and her induction into the hall of fame.

"I attribute it to the success of the entire team," she said. "Everybody helped facilitate it. We were successful because we were competitive." She would add later, "I presumed I was the leader, but everybody led from their roles in the game. We didn't get wrapped up in who was the leader, we just played the game to win."

During Markle's senior year the team came back to claim third, ending her high school career with four state tournament appearances and a championship to boot. In addition to the basketball accomplishments, she also had an exciting track and field career. Competing in an unique combination in the 100-meter dash, the 800-meter run and the javelin, she was a state champion in all three events. She won the javelin in 1981 and, in 1982, won the 100 Meter and 800 Meter races. The Scottie girls track team secured a trophy all four years of her high school career, second place as a team in 1979, followed by three straight third-place trophies from 1980 to 1982.

After graduating she went on to play at then College of Great Falls (now Providence). When the program was shut down, Markle says the girls coach made some calls and, without ever seeing her play a game, the Boise State head coach offered her a scholarship to come play NCAA Division One ball in Idaho.

After college, Markle made her way to Opheim to teach and coach basketball before taking a job in Glasgow and becoming the head coach for, "I don't even know how many years." In that time, she guided the Lady Scotties to a successful run of accomplishments that included a state final game against Malta, but a chance to mirror her high school success as a coach was not meant to be and the 1981 team remains the Lady Scotties only championship trophy.

"I was crushed," said Markle, discussing how it felt to lose. "Because we lost to Malta." She said the loss stayed with her for sometime. Adding insult to injury, it was also her last game as the Scotties head coach and she retired after that season to be available for her kids, who were in elementary school at the time. She said she did not change her perspective on the loss until a Glasgow resident sent her a postcard explaining that a billion people in China could not care less about her loss, and then she received another comment from a friend who told her 86 teams would have loved to play in that game. After changing her perspective she said she became grateful for the opportunity she was given.

Wrapping up the interview, Markle credited basketball and a supporting father for her success as a teacher, principal, coach and athlete. "Basketball was my vehicle to teaching, coaching and being able to have a successful career. Few people get to share something they enjoy so much with others and be able to do it for awhile."

After being asked what she would say to kids, and especially young girls, about being successful in life, she paused before saying, "I guess, I was always told I could do anything I wanted back then and sometimes it wasn't easy to have success." She said that by gravitating towards people who celebrated victories with her and supported her, even in failure, she could achieve success. Her family was, for her, a haven when she came home after losses, after challenges and after college, that helped her be confident when she would go back. Then she said pointedly that she would tell any girl trying to be successful to, "Find your haven."

 

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