LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The NFCA is pleased to announce Jordan Bradley as the 2024 recipient of the Wade J. Bruggeman Memorial Scholarship for High School Coaches.
Bradley, who is the head coach at Tonasket High School (Wash.), will receive funding to attend the 2024 NFCA National Convention, Dec. 4-7 at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas, Texas. Included is a complimentary Convention registration, $700 in travel reimbursement and up to four nights paid at the Convention host hotel.
“I am still quite young in my coaching career,” said Bradley. “My girls deserve a coach that can provide them with a high-quality, up-to-date approach to learning the game of softball and improving their skills both on and off the field.”
Bradley, who is also a science and agriculture teacher at Tonasket, has helmed the softball program the past five years. When he took over the program, consisting of 11 players, it was in need of a rebuild. The early years came with multiple obstacles.
“When I took over, the program was in need of rebuilding and the girls needed healing and someone to foster a competitive environment that challenged them, as much as it supported them,” said Bradley. “I was a new coach, a new teacher and a new parent, but knew that I wanted to (and had the ability to) spread my love of softball to the girls in our community.”
It started with the pandemic and then in his second year, while Bradley was earning his CTE teaching certification, his one-year old son got very ill with an infection that affected the brain. Not only did he make time to travel three hours one way to care for his son, but Bradley also earned his teaching certification and led Tonasket to a first-place finish (first time in school history) in its region, suffering just three defeats, while competing against schools in a higher classification.
“Attendance at the NFCA Convention will provide me with so many opportunities for growth and learning to add numerous skills and knowledge to my proverbial toolbox,” Bradley said. “I can bring all of these things back to our program and continue to provide our girls with new methods, drills and approaches to continue to challenge them and helm them grow as people and players.”
Bradley wants to be able to bring back new and exciting learning opportunities to the team. He has seen tremendous growth as the team has had the highest participation numbers in the county/league with 24 to 26 players each of the last three seasons. Additionally, Tonasket has been the only team in the area to consistently field a Junior Varsity team, while there has also been a tremendous increase in participation with the youth softball league.
“Softball in our area is one of the very few opportunities for young ladies/girls to have something active, challenging and fun to take part in outside of school hours,” stated Bradley. “I would love to be able to bring back new and exciting learning opportunities to the girls and the added knowledge and information I can get from attending the Convention.”
Wade J. Bruggeman, the late father of NFCA Executive Director Carol Bruggeman, spent his entire 38-year career as a high school teacher, coach, and principal in the state of Iowa. Reviewed and voted on by the NFCA Awards Committee and his widow Ruth Bruggeman, this scholarship provides a way to 'pay it forward' for high school coaches to assist with professional development. This scholarship, reviewed and voted on by the NFCA Awards Committee
, is awarded to a high school member coach who combines a shared passion for education and coaching, while showing a commitment to youth education and growing the sport of softball.
Bradley will be recognized on Thursday, Dec. 5 during the Convention’s annual mentoring workshop.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its extensive awards and scholarships program, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from NFCA podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of 7,000 coaches today!
