HELENA — It’s not uncommon to find a team with the son of a head coach on it. A team with four sons of head coaches though, that’s pretty rare, almost unheard of.

“I’ve never been part of something like that where four players have dads who are head coaches,” Helena Capital football head coach Kyle Mihelish said. “It’s a very unique situation.”

Plenty of coaches have had the chance to coach their own son or daughter in different sports. But at Helena Capital, it’s even more prevalent, at least with this senior class.

Mihelish is one of those coaches, as the Bruins starting quarterback, Merek, is his son. Capital boys basketball coach, Guy Almquist, is another. He’s dad to Dylan and Drew — both two-way standouts for the Bruins, while Cole Graham, an all-state EDGE, state wrestling champion and recent Montana Tech commitment, is the son of head wrestling coach Shawn Graham.

“Coaching my son has certainly been a joy,” Mihelish said. “You’re out at practice and you’re thinking about other things and doing other things and then it’s like, my son is out here with me. And all those kids have spent time on the practice field or in the wrestling room, or the gym with their dad. It’s part of the culture (at Capital). I know I promote that if an assistant coach lacks daycare or whatever it may be — have them (kids) around here. It’s important for kids to grow up in that athletic field.”

Being the son of the head coach can certainly come with pressure to perform, but that hasn’t been an issue for any of the four Bruins.

Mihelish, the quarterback, has turned in one of the most productive seasons in Capital history. The senior who is committed to the Montana Grizzlies, has accounted for 5,428 total yards the past two seasons (1,696 rushing) as well as 56 total touchdowns (14 rushing). 

“We learned from our parents,” Merek said. “And all three of those head coaches get it. All three are very competitive and hard working people. That’s what has helped shape (us) their kids.”

Last season, in his first as the starter, Merek led the Bruins to the No. 2 seed in the Western AA and the Class AA semifinals before being eliminated by Bozeman, the eventual state champs. 

This season, after a season-opening loss to No. 1 Gallatin, the Bruins have won eight in a row, earning them the top seed in the Western AA. Capital (8-1) won those eight games by an average of 37 points. The smallest margin of victory was 19 against Helena High during a run that also featured a 21-point win and 35 unanswered points against No. 3 Glacier.

With 33 total touchdowns compared to just two interceptions, the 6-foot-2 athlete has been a big part of that.

“I’ve never known anything different,” Merek said. “Every fall it’s been (playing) football with my dad. It’s a cool feeling that not a lot of kids get to have. I cherish it.”

Quarterback-head coach relationships aren’t always easy. Adding the father-son dynamic can add another layer, which is why it helps to have a plan.

“We talked about it long ago,” Kyle Mihelish said. “I told him I’m your coach. On the playing field and in the film room, but once we get in the car and go home, that’s your life. I think I have done a pretty good job — I wish I could say I have done a fantastic job but it’s not right to take it home. He doesn’t need me chirping in his ear. I’ve cracked a couple of times, but if you say you’re going to do something, you have to do it.”

“We do a very good job of keeping football, football,” Merek added. “When it’s football time, it’s football time. When it’s time to be a dad, he’s a dad and that’s pretty special.”

On the field, the Bruins know they have a special opportunity as they aim for the program’s second state championship in three years, and it’s 12th overall. Up first though, is Missoula Sentinel on Friday night and Capital isn’t taking anyting for granted. 

“We are taking it one game at a time,” Coach Mihelish said. “I talked to our seniors about how they aren’t guaranteed anything beyond Friday. Some of them will be able to go on and play college football, but 90 percent, this is their last opportunity and I think that resonated.”

“It’s kind of weird being a senior,” Graham said. “We are down to our last few games. We have just to focus on this one (Sentinel) but it’s been good having them (Dylan and Merek) and the brotherhood we have built over the years.”

Dylan Almquist, Graham and Mihelish were each all-state selections for the Bruins last season and they all seemed headed for those distinctions again. 

Offensively, Capital spreads the ball around as well as anyone in the state. Four wide receivers had at least 450 yards receiving during the nine-game regular season led by Dylan, who caught 38 passes for 490 yards (both team highs) to go along with six touchdowns. He finished just two yards ahead of his brother, Drew, a sophomore, who notched 488 receiving yards as well as 137 rushing yards in his first season as a varsity player.

Graham has been a force on both sides of the ball. After missing some time to start the season due to injury, he rushed for 348 yards and 10 touchdowns (6.0 yards per carry). The senior is also leading the Bruins in tackles for loss (10) and sacks (7) in addition to being credited with five pass breakups, three fumbles recovered and two forced fumbles. Dylan leads CHS in interceptions (2). He’s also got five pass breakups while Drew has 17 tackles, four pass breakups, three tackles for loss and an interception.

With all that production, it’s not hyperbolic to say that Graham, Mihelish and the Almquists are among the Bruins best players, or that their backgrounds have had something to do with it.

“It’s helped me out a lot,” Dylan said of being a coaches son. “I’ve always been around it growing up and kind of had that inside perspective. It’s given me a lot of info about how you have to work, how you have to play and how you have to have effort.”

“He’s given us an inside view of how coaches think and how to improve yourself. Also, the hard work that you need to have to succeed at a high level,” Drew said of his dad. 

“It gives us some maturity,” Dylan added. “We kind of know what to expect so that can help us be good leaders for the team and lead by example. Just be a calming figure on the field.”

It’s hard to measure the impact of having a dad for a head coach. It doesn’t aways guarantee athletic or team success.

But to a man, the Bruins who are coached by dads who have coached teams or individuals to state championships, said they were better for it.

“It’s helped me a lot,” Graham said. “(My dad) pushes me hard. He always expects me to work hard and I’m supposed to be an example and he’s made sure of that.”

All the hard work has paid off as the Bruins have earned the chance to host in the playoffs at least through the semifinal round and would only travel for a potential state title matchup with Gallatin. 

“This is a great class of seniors,” Drew said. “It’s the last time that I’ll get to play with my brother, so we are excited. We have a chance to go far and we have to take advantage of it.”   

The goal for the Bruins is clear and the path begins with Missoula Sentinel on Friday night. 

“Not everyone can be called a state champion,” Merek said. “It’s something we have thought about for a long time and hopefully we can make it a reality.”