The little town that could

Tiny Colstrip takes SI Sportstown Honors for the state of Montana

With a population of just over 2,300 -- and not one traffic light -- Colstrip, Mont., might seem like an unlikely candidate to be honored as the Treasure State’s Sports Illustrated Sportstown. But the town has always been associated with energy, and its current citizenry is no different, pitching in and working together to make things happen.

The story of Colstrip begins in 1923. The town, whose energy source at that time was coal, was founded by Northern Pacific Railroad to supply fuel for locomotives. After years of successful operation, however, the town mine was shut down in the late 1950s, and the population dwindled to the triple digits. But in 1968 the mine was re-opened by Western Energy Company and the latest chapter in Colstrip’s history began.

It was Western Energy that put in place the Colstrip Area Recreation and Parks Association, which was the predecessor to today’s Colstrip Parks and Recreation District (CPRD). The company understood that its workers would need recreation to balance out their hard-working days and nights in the mine –- and at the new steam generating plants that were built in the 1970s and '80s.

"The original purpose of the Parks Association was to raise the quality of life in the area and get some of the construction workers to stay and raise their families here," said Rick Harbin, CPRD's executive director. "Now, with the system and history we have, sports and recreation have become an integral part of life."

Today, a company called PPL Montana runs the town’s power generation, but the residents seem to produce as much energy as the power plants, at least when it comes to sports and recreation.

"The people of Colstrip understand how important they are to making this work," said Harbin. "Our big facilities have mostly been built and upgraded by the hands and tools of our residents. They often lend their time and construction equipment to improve things for everyone. Without them, we wouldn’t have nearly the quality and quantity of parks and sports venues that we’ve got."

And, by all accounts, Colstrip has more than its fair share.

This town of just 4.5 square miles has 23 parks –- almost one park for every 100 people –- its own community center, a baseball/softball complex, tennis and volleyball courts, several soccer fields, a BMX track and a nine-hole golf course.

The CPRD also offers an extensive array of recreation opportunities, from youth and adult leagues to before- and after-school programs. Colstrip also lays claim to the longest-running triathlon west of the Mississippi, and has hosted the local "Spoilathlon" every year since 1976.

“We’re very proud of our programming, especially for the youth of Colstrip,” said Bill Neumiller, President of the CPRD's Board of Commissioners. “In addition to starting our children on a path of lifelong involvement in sports, these programs allow our teens and young adults the opportunity to teach their skills to those younger kids, which helps them grow as well.”

When you add everything up, the choice of Colstrip as Montana's SI Sportstown like a no-brainer. And from the looks of things, Colstrip is one energetic community that shows no signs of losing steam anytime soon.

“We don’t think there’s a town out there at our size that can offer the variety and number of programs and facilities that we offer," said Harbin, "and we’re planning to make sure our future is just as exciting as the present.”