1,000

Robin Selvig sits at his desk in his Adams Center office Thursday afternoon. The Lady Griz woodcutting was a gift from his mother.

Photos by Nick Gast/Montana Kaimin

Mr. One Thousand

By Alexandria Valdez

ead coach for the Lady Griz Robin Selvig could be anyones grandfather. His snowy hair is always perfectly combed. His glasses sit perched on his nose, while a dapper tie and sports coat complete his look. His home is located at 32 Campus Drive Adams Center, Missoula, Mont., also known as the basketball court in Dahlberg Arena. Its his natural habitat: the smooth boards, shoes squeaking on the floor, Split-the-Pot tickets being sold and fans yelling at the referees. Its where he comes alive. DRIBBLE TOWARDS HER! P! P! P! DRIBBLE RIGHT! DRIBBLE RIGHT, Selvig shouts from courtside.

It may seem like hes being harsh on his players. His actions could come off as intense, passionate or crazy. But the Selvig way works. Success in coaching is normally measured by wins, which keep a coachs job secure. Selvig has been a fixture courtside for 34 years, meaning the Lady Griz have experienced a lot of wins. He doesnt measure his success in wins and doesnt care for the numbers, like coaching game 1,000 of his collegiate coaching career at Montana on Dec. 8, 2011. He cares about the players he has coached, the memories he has made in all his years, and the chance to coach players daughters. Robin Selvig is a link to the past and present of Lady Griz basketball.