Coach Bradley hits a remarkable milestone

Last week, a local basketball coach reached an unbelievable milestone; Ron Bradley won his 1,000th boys basketball game when Heritage beat Morgan County in a holiday tournament. His current record as a boys basketball coach is 1,000-299. That is an unbelievable winning percentage of nearly 77%. He also has 353 girls basketball victories to bring his overall record to 1,353-390. He is the only active coach with 1,000 or more victories and if you include the girls games, he is the nation’s all-time winningest coach.

Coach Bradley, who is now 74, started his coaching career in 1957 at Newton County High School. He has coach at nine different schools over his career and has 3 state titles. His first came at Newton County in 1964 and then two with George Walton Academy in 1976 and 1985. He has been named Coach of the Year in Georgia as well as being the National Boys Basketball Coach of the year. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame back in 1997 and was the first basketball coach to receive the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association’s Circle of Achievement Award. Also, The Georgia Senate created a state resolution in his honor. State Resolution 192 - http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/fulltext/sr192.htm

I am lucky enough to say that played for Coach Bradley for four years and was on the 1985 State Championship team. Coach Bradley is a brilliant basketball mind and coach, but he also is an incredible person. I truly feel that he had helped me become the person I am today. He taught me my work ethic and that nothing in this world comes easy. All of the sprints and drills were tough at the time but really paid off not only in the games, but in life. He and his wife, Jan, care about each and every player that he has coached and want them to succeed on the court and in life. He is still in touch with many players that have played for him in the past.

I am proud to be a part of history and I am proud of my former coach and his accomplishments. When he finally decides to retire he will be missed, but his legacy will live on forever. Not only with his winning record, but in the lives of the players he has coached through the years. The nearest coach to him in victories is currently in the 500’s. So it is safe to say his record won’t be broken anytime soon.

Shag coach, that’s a nice record!