2008 Year in Review

Ebenezer Reformed Church to Host Bret Bielema

Ebenezer Reformed Church would like to invite the community to a special program on Saturday, June 21. The guest speaker will be Bret Bielema who is the Wisconsin Head Football Coach. The program will follow Ebenezer’s 69th Annual Father and Son Banquet. Coach Bielema will then present his program in the church sanctuary at approximately 6:45 p.m.

Bielema was born in January of 1970 to Arnold and Marilyn Bielema. Bret attended Prophetstown schools and graduated from Prophetstown High School. His grandparents were the late Rich and Henrietta Bielema of Morrison and former custodians at Ebenezer.

Bret’s first two seasons as head football coach at Wisconsin have been an unqualified success. The third youngest head coach in NCAA Bowl Subdivision football, he has proven that age is just a number. He has shown that determination, hard work, organization and enthusiasm — all traits Bielema embodies — count the most when sizing up an individual’s qualifications.

Following graduation from high school Bielema played college football at the University of Iowa from 1989 to 1992, where he earned four letters (1989-1992) after joining the football program as a walk-on. He earned a scholarship after his first year and was a member of Iowa’s 1990 Big Ten championship team. A starter as a junior in 1991, he was a team co-captain as a senior. Bielema signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks and later completed his playing career with the Milwaukee Mustangs of the Arena Football League. He has participated in 10 bowl games as a player or coach.

Bielema was an assistant coach at the University of Iowa from 1993 to 2001. He then moved on to become the co-defensive coordinator for Kansas State University from 2002 to 2003. Bielema then took on the same position at Wisconsin in 2004.

Bret Bielema had a very successful first season as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers in 2006. His team ended the regular season 11-1 (7-1 in Big Ten Conference play. Bielema became only the 100th coach in NCAA history to win 12 games in his rookie season.

Bielema’s efforts were rewarded when he was named the 2006 Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year. Bielema also was named one of five finalists for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Award and was a finalist for the 2006 Schutt Sports Division 1A Coach of the Year Award.

Wisconsin’s success under Bielema has translated to the classroom as well. Nineteen Badgers were named Academic All-Big Ten in 2007, the highest total in school history.

There will be no admission cost for the program.

by Dawn Zuidema, theCity1.com
June 4, 2008