Don Bradford

Don Bradford was born in Rhinelander, and raised in Eagle River, Wis., where he played his youth and high school hockey in one of the oldest hockey programs in the State of Wisconsin. His high school team won the unofficial High School State Championship in 1964, a title that predated the WIAA State Tournament that was established in 1971. He continued his playing career at UW-Superior and than returned to Eagle River to play with the Eagle River Northernaires senior men’s team.

After two years of military service, Bradford began his coaching career as the high school coach of the fledgling Wausau West High School team, where he taught business and accounting from 1974-1980. From 1975-1978, Bradford coached a group of kids who had little in the way of ice hockey experience or skills. Leaving the high school ranks after three years, Bradford moved on to the amateur hockey program in Wausau, and helped build, guide and grow that program for more than three decades, putting the “hook” into numerous boys and girls, and making the Marathon County Youth Hockey program one of the most successful programs in the State. As a hockey coach at the Squirt and Peewee levels, Bradford affected the future of many youngsters, and stressed skills first and fun a close second, while taking the emphasis off of winning.

Bradford’s work as a member of the board of Marathon County Youth hockey directly led to a partnership with the Marathon County Park Department, which resulted in the construction of the second sheet of ice in Wausau. Quite literally, his hands-on efforts, along with many other volunteers, helped in the construction of this facility. Over the years, he was awarded the Marathon Youth Hockey President’s Award three times for his work as a volunteer board member and as a coach.

From 1985, Bradford served as a Region 2 Director on the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association’s Board of Directors. During this period, he served as the Vice President in charge of the Mite State tournament, designed the current WAHA logo, coordinated player development, revised tournament seeding and guidelines, and served as the editor of the WAHA Annual Directory and Guidebook. From 1991 through 2006, he also served as the Bantam Elite Player Development Camp Director. This camp served as a model for USA Hockey due to the success enjoyed largely through his efforts. He also served as the Team Leader for the USA Hockey Central district team for the National Select 15 Festival from 1994-97. For his service, Bradford was awarded the George Baumann Friends of Hockey Award by the Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association. Bradford continues to serve locally as a coach, and to schedule State Tournament playdowns for Region 2. Bradford is self-employed in Wausau, where he and his wife Luanne raised three hockey-playing sons, Andrew, Mark and Christopher.