Montana East West Shrine Game

The East Team will be coached by Derek Lear. Derek is a 2009 graduate of Fairfield High School. While in High School he had the opportunity to be a part of five State Championship games. Three in football and two in basketball with a State Championship title in the 2009 Class B Basketball tournament. He was selected to play in the 2009 Montana East/West Shrine game. After graduation Derek attended Montana State University-Northern in Havre, MT. While playing for the Northern Lights he was the starting quarterback for 4 years and holds 13 individual records and 20 team records including, 532 passing yards and 7 passing Touchdowns, rushing for an additional 74 yards, setting a single game school record with 606 total yards. He was named All-Conference QB and NAIA National Player of the Week in 2012. Coach Lear graduated from Montana State University-Northern in 2014 with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary and Health and Physical Education. Derek accepted an elementary teaching position in Lewistown, MT where he was the Assistant Basketball Coach for 6 years and Assistant Football Coach for 7 years. He is now the Head Football Coach for the Golden Eagles and has a record of 21-2 and a 91% winning percentage. The Golden Eagles were 12-0 in 2022 and won the school's 2nd Class A State Title. He was named 2022 Montana Class A Football Coach of the Year. His teaching career includes teaching 2nd grade for 5 years and has been the Elementary Health and Physical Education teacher for the past 4 years. He graduated in 2018 from Rocky Mountain College with a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. His wife Calli (Cox) Lear, is a Whitewater, MT native where she grew up on her family ranch. They have two children: Parker, 6 years old and a 1st grader; Krue who is 4 years old.

WEST
KYLE MIHELISH	HELENA CAPITAL	HEAD COACH
		ASST. COACH
		ASST. COACH
		ASST. COACH
		ASST. COACH
		ASST. COACH
		TRAINER
		COORDINATOR
		ASST. COORDINATOR
		ASST. COORDINATOR

Heading the West Team will be Kyle Mihelish. Kyle has 24 years of coaching experience in Montana football, with 8 years at Great Falls High, 1 year at Carroll College (2004 National Championship), and the last 15 years at Helena Capital (6 State Title appearances, 5 State Championships, 6 semi-final appearances), with the Bruins winning the AA State Championship in 2022. He has coached in 4 Shrine Games, serving as an assistant coach 2 times for the East and 2 times for the West, and as the West Head Coach in 2018. Kyle is a 1990 graduate of Capital High School and played football at the University of Montana Western. He has three children: Mikal, McKinlee, and Merek.