As the years go rapidly by I have come to the realization that my 60th birthday is only two years away. This epiphany has helped me come to grips with the fact that I have reached a point in my life where things are coming to an end for me, my family and my friends....let's face it, things are changing ...and as a good Norwegian I of course hate change. Several of the changes that I am begrudgingly trying to accept can be best classified in the category that I have labeled "The End of an Era."
One era that is coming to an end this year is the very successful coaching career of my good friend, Brad Atchison. Brad and I played basketball together at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN in the mid 70"s and we have remained close friends throughout our lives. (see Prattles 12, 23, 29 for more information on Brad)
After 35 years of being a head girls basketball coach in the state of Minnesota, Brad is retiring at the end of this season (2011-2012). Brad has a very impressive resume that pretty much speaks for itself:
-Head girls varsity basketball coach for 35 years
-Coached at 4 high schools - Clara City, Midwest Minnesota*, MACCRAY*, Willmar
-489 wins (4th on the all time list in the state of Minnesota)
-6 trips to the Minnesota state high school girls basketball tournament
-1 Minnesota state high school girls basketball championship
-Inducted in the Minnesota Coaches Hall of Fame in 2002
*Clara City consolidated with other schools two separate times and they had a new name each time.
Brad grew up in Moorhead, MN and was a star athlete in football, basketball, baseball and track at the local high school from 1970-73. Brad's father, Dean, along with Brad's 3 brothers all excelled in athletics at Moorhead High School. The Atchison family is therefore very well known and respected in the Moorhead area.
As it turned out this year the Willmar girls basketball team was scheduled to play at Moorhead in mid February. Seeing this was Brad's final year of coaching it only seemed appropriate that his home town school should give Brad some type of recognition for his very successful coaching career....the prodigal son had returned and it was time to "kill the fatted calf."
To make a long story short I was part of a group of college buddies who helped Moorhead's booster club put together what I will call a "Brad Atchison Day". The plan was to have an official recognition ceremony for Brad after the girls game between Willmar and Moorhead.
If Brad knew this event was being planned he would have objected....
In order to further enhance the festivities the officials assigned to work this game were 3 guys who were all friends of Brad and mine.....Perry Reinertson, Darrell Olson, Craig Samuelson (Darrell and Craig are college buddies and Perry is another good friend - see Prattle 12,23.29 to see more information about these officials)...
The real human interest part of this story was that Brad's daughter is a senior and the starting point guard for the Willmar girls team.....can it get any better than that?
Brad Atchison Day had a little bit of everything....
Nostalgia, friends, relatives, worlds colliding, sweater vests, girl-boy basketball double header, close games, tension, excitement, anger, angst, high drama, amazing comeback, nail biter, cold blooded 3 pointer to win, story book ending, recognition, awards, party, fun, laughter and of course fellowship.
Moorhead fans knew they were in for trouble when Brad posed for a picture with the officials before the game...Darrell Olson, Brad Atchison, Craig Samuelson and Perry Reinertson.
Brad may have been a tad too friendly with the game officials before the game...lots of talk about playing golf together this summer at the Ivy Open - see Prattles 12 and 23 for more details....this didn't keep Brad from voicing his displeasure with several of the calls made by this officiating crew during the game...
It appears that the "fix" is in..............
Craig Samuelson and Perry Reinertson discuss how they are going to explain all their calls to Brad at the post game party....
Brad tells his assistant Jenyne Beehler to be get on the officials early and often....
Willmar gets off to a slow start and they trail by double digits for most of the game....a furious rally by Willmar late in the second half cuts the deficit to 2 points with 15 seconds to go....Willmar hits a 3 point bomb with 8 seconds left....Willmar Wins!....Willmar Wins!.....Willmar Wins!.....Final score: 57-56.....now Brad could enjoy the post game recognition ceremony.
Brad shows off his two awards after the game.....a great photo montage of him and his family members is one of the awards...
Going down memory lane...the Moorhead Spuds high school basketball team...1972-73...., Dave Karlstrom, Brad Atchison, Coach Lowell Bolger, Kris Gulsvig, Craig Stein, Steve Johnson....
It was now time to head to the post game party that was being held at a local watering hole in south Moorhead...the party had it all....food, drink, fun, laughter, fellowship and yes, we even had raffle prizes...a very nice crowd of family, friends, college buddies, high school buddies and several of Moorhead's finest.were in attendance....the fatted calf was now ready to be killed....Brad, the prodigal son, had returned!
Darrell Olson and I ran the raffle drawing....lots of great prizes.....and the winning number is...
Jon and Patty Johnson were the first big winners in the raffle drawing....2 autographed pictures of Brad will now adorn their new home in Wadena...
Brad personally autographed the pictures of him that were given away during the party...
Brad's brother Steve reminds everyone that he needs some attention too.... Steve was celebrating his 55th birthday...
Brad made wearing the sweater vest fashionable long before Jim Tressell and Rick Santorum ever did....
Chuck Gulsvig was excited about winning his very own sweater vest in the raffle...
Perry Reinertson welcomed the head of the Moorhead High Booster club....(we promised this guy a beer if he would give Brad an award)...
Darrell Olson explains to Steve and Andy Atchison that his son, Peder, is in charge of security when Darrell officiates high school basketball games...who would ever attack an official after a game who has his son with him?
Dave Karlsrom just finished explaining the elements of a good golf swing to Brad's wife, LeAnn...Dave is "The Shot Doctor" you know....
Craig Samuelson tells about the Moorhead fan who took off his glasses and offered them to Craig after the game...
I remain shameless.....still posing for pictures with young attractive women....Shelly and Emily (Steve Atchison's daughters)...
LeAnn Atchison, Brad's wife is the one who really deserves all of the credit for Brad's success....
I closed the party down with Brad and Dave....somebody has to stay until the end...
The Brad Atchison coaching era will come to an official end sometime in March. 2012...sad but true...as they say, it was a very nice run.
