Local high school athletes earn tournament honors and momentum

Two Kootenai County juniors stood out this week for tournament performances that bolstered their programs and energized local fans. Post Falls High junior Cashton Bodman was named Athlete of the Week after earning MVP honors at the East Idaho Coast Guard Tournament. Coeur d’Alene High junior Brock Armstrong won the 190‑pound title at the Rollie Lane Invitational.

Those headline accomplishments were part of a broader slate of small recognitions and scores submitted by area schools for community interest. Local athletic departments sent in short updates documenting individual awards, tournament placings and game results that together sketch the midseason picture for winter sports across the county.

Bodman’s MVP nod highlights the role of early-season tournaments in setting tone for teams and in giving players opportunities to showcase skills for coaches and scouts. Tournament MVPs often carry momentum back to regular-season play, where conference standings and playoff seeding remain on the line. Armstrong’s 190‑pound title similarly underlines the importance of invitational tournaments in wrestling, where weight-class wins can raise an athlete’s profile and sharpen competitive readiness heading into regionals.

Beyond individual accolades, these reports matter to the community because they fuel attendance, volunteer support and booster club fundraising — the practical lifeblood of many small-town athletic programs. When schools share scores and honors, families and neighbors use that information to plan game-day attendance, allocate limited budgets for travel and equipment, and decide where to volunteer or donate. For coaches and athletic directors, public recognition also factors into athlete development and retention, contributing to a pipeline that feeds youth programs, high school teams and, for a few, collegiate opportunities.

From a governance perspective, routine reporting of results and recognitions creates transparency around how schools communicate about extracurricular programs. Clear, timely updates help voters and school boards evaluate how athletics fit into broader district priorities, including facility maintenance, staffing and student support services. For parents weighing public school options in Kootenai County, visible success in athletics can be one piece of information alongside academics and extracurricular breadth.

The takeaway? Celebrate the wins, but show up. Attend the next home game, ask your school how booster dollars are being spent, and keep an eye on schedules posted by your district so these standout performances translate into long-term support for athletes and programs. Our two cents? Community support — not just headlines — is how local talent keeps growing.