There are different hats for different jobs. Some people wear many, others wear none. Athletics is sometimes viewed as a job, and as such, there are athletic hats, more commonly called helmets. There are batting helmets, football helmets, racing helmets, basketball helmets.
Basketball helmets? Well not really, but Bryan Bravard has a hat for basketball. "Hustle, Attitude, and Teamwork, I believe, are the necessary ingredients for a successful team," said the Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa) graduate.
The political science / education major knows what its like to wear "HAT," enjoying a bountiful high school athletic career at new Hartford High School in Iowa. He earned eight all-conference awards, three each in basketball and baseball, and two in football. He scored over 1200 points in basketball and was a place-winning discus thrower on a state championship track team.
His playing career extended to Simpson, a Division III school. He lettered four years as a pitcher and designated hitter, and played basketball for two years.
Bravard's first opportunity to wear the coaching hat came as an undergrad. He was the student assistant for the successful men's and women's basketball programs at Simpson.
The 1986 graduate then did a brief stint as a teacher/coach in the Waterloo Community School District. he assisted with the football and track teams, and took full responsibility for the ninth grade girls basketball team. During the summer months, Bravard returned home to coach the varsity baseball team.
Bravard has worn many hats in his brief career, those of player, teacher and coach. But he didn't feel his hats fit too well, that is he didn't have the experience. At NUS, Bravard is looking for that right "fit."
