Biography

50 Year High School Coaching Career of
Coach Bradley

  

HIGHLIGHTS OF COACH RONALD BRADLEY’S

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Overall high school varsity basketball record: 1,372 wins - 413 losses

  • Only Georgia high school basketball coach in National High School Hall of Fame - 2012

  • Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame - 2011

  • Georgia Sports Hall of Fame - 1997

  • Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame - 2013

  • Georgia Independent School Hall of Fame - 1998

  • Newton County (Ga.) Bulldog Club Hall of Fame - 1974

  • Member of seven different Halls of Fame

  • Ronald M. Bradley Gymnasium, Covington, Ga., named in his honor - 2000

  • His Newton County teams hold a national record of 129 straight basketball wins on the home court

  • His 50 year coaching career has touched 7 different decades

  • 2004 NFHS National Basketball Coach of the Year

  • 2004 NHSACA National Basketball Coach of the Year

  • 1972 NFHS SE Coach of the Year Award

  • 1969 was honored by NFHS for 129 straight home court winning streak - national record

  • Coach of 126 varsity teams in all sports

  • 8 times honored by State of Georgia General Assembly

  • 3 times honored by Georgia Governors

  • First Georgia basketball coach to receive GACA Circle of Achievement Award

  • Received Atlanta Tipoff Club Steve Schmidt Award for contribution to basketball

  • Won 75 various High School basketball championships

  • Won 101 varsity High School championships overall

  • Boys H.S. varsity basketball career record -1,019-322, 49 teams; 16 region, 3 state championships, 4 state runner-up titles

  • Girls H.S. varsity basketball career record - 353-91, 17 teams; 6 region titles, 1 state runner-up title

  • His varsity basketball teams could go 0-30 for the next 30 years and he would still have a winning record

  • Varsity Football record - 130 wins, 69 losses, 16 ties, 19 seasons as head coach; 1 state Championship; 4 region championships

  • Varsity Baseball record - 158 wins, 60 losses, 18 seasons; 5 Region championships, 2 State Runners-up

  • Final total major varsity high school sports record - won 1,660, lost 542, tied 6

  • Coached state all star basketball team 7 times

  • Coached undefeated Georgia All-Stars to 7 wins on European tour

  • Coached victorious East All-Star team in national East-West basketball game

  • Received Sport Magazine’s 1965 Sports Service Award

  • Recognized by Atlanta Tipoff Club as Georgia’s all-time winningest basketball coach

  • In 2010 recognized by NFHS record book as the “winningest active high school varsity basketball coach in the U.S.”

  • Coached 23 other varsity teams in golf, tennis and track

  • Published a final statistical booklet on each basketball and football team at the end of each season

NON-ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

  • Selected by UPS to do a world-wide training film on “Attaining Excellence”

  • 24 years Director of State FFA-FHA Camp summer recreation program

  • Lifetime member of the United Methodist Church

  • Established a basketball recreation program in Covington/Newton County that grew to over 500 youngsters (primarily for grades 1-8)

  • Headed State Ranking Committee for Atlanta Tipoff Club (ATOC)

  • Served as a member of ATOC Board of Directors

  • Served as a Region Director for Georgia High School Association (GHSA)

  • Served as a Region Director for Georgia Independent School Association (GISA)

  • Served on various committees for Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

  • Speaker at various state and national clinics and functions

  • Served on Atlanta Olympic organizing committee

  • Served as Floor Supervisor at the Georgia Dome during Atlanta Olympics

  • Received Newton Co. Jaycees Distinguished Service Award

  • Received Georgia Farmers Planter Award for services

  • Headed up civil defense classes for area on emergency preparedness

  • Was selected by FIBA (International Basketball Federation) to do clinic work 10/4/96

  • Member of committee to make recommendations during the pre-construction stages for the basketball facility at UGA on the Athens campus

  • Flag flown atop U.S.Capitol in honor of Coach Ronald Bradley and commendation by U.S. Senator Max Cleland

  • Commendations by U.S. Senators (& former Governor) Zell Miller and Sen. Saxby Chambliss

  • Also honored by then-governor (and future president) Jimmy Carter and Governor Sonny Perdue

  • Official host in NY City for the 1965 Top 10 All-American H.S. Basketball players

He began his coaching career at Newton County High School in Covington, Georgia, in the fall of 1957. He has been head coach of 49 boys varsity basketball teams, 17 girls varsity basketball teams, 19 varsity football teams, 18 varsity baseball teams, 20 varsity golf teams, 3 varsity track teams, and has been athletic director 19 years. The 2010 varsity basketball team was his 126th varsity athletic team in his 50th season as head varsity coach in 9 different schools (returning to Newton Co H.S. in 2001 for 4 years, after a 26-year absence). Based on available records he is the 3rd High School basketball coach on record to win over 1,300 varsity basketball games in a career which spanned seven different decades. At retirement, he was the winningest active coach in the nation.

Basketball (overall) 1,372 wins - 413 losses, Boys record - 49 teams: 1,019 wins, a total that currently is ranked as the 8th most wins in high school history as recorded by the National Federation of High School Sports Record Book; 29 seasons of 20+ wins with best records of 35-1, 34-1, 29-1, 29-3 (twice), 3 State Champions, 6 state finalists, 17 region championships; national-record 129 straight home court victories over 9 years during first tenure at Newton County H.S. (Girls record - 17 teams: 353-91; 11 seasons of 20+ wins with best records of 29-1, 28-3, 26-2, 1 state finalist, 7 region championships). Honored as State Coach of the Year 4 times, Region Coach of the Year 17 times, National High School Athletic Coaches Assn. District IV Coach of the Year; N-S All Star Head Coach 4 times, GA-SC All Star Coach, Nationa E-W All Star Coach, GA All-Stars European Tour Coach (undefeated in 6 games in Europe). Seventy-nine team championships, 35 state tournament appearances. Named National Boys Basketball Coach of the Year by National Federation of High School Associations Coaches Association and National Boys Basketball Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in June 2004.

Football: 130 wins, 69 losses, 6 ties in 19 seasons. Best record 11-0-1, State Championship, 4 region championships; Coach of the Year (1 state, 4 region).

Baseball: 158 wins - 60 losses in 18 seasons. 5 Region Championships, 2 state finalists; Region Coach of the Year 5 times, 10 teams in post season playoffs.

Special Honors and Awards:

  • Inducted into State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

  • Received Georgia Athletic Coaches Association's highest honor as only the fifth recipient of their Circle of Achievement Award (first basketball coach so honored).

  • He was the 2000 recipient of Atlanta Tipoff Club's Steve Schmidt Award for outstanding contribution to basketball.

  • The Ronald M. Bradley Gymnasium at Turner Lake Recreation/Complex in Covington was named in his honor.

  • He was inducted into the GACA Coaches Hall of Fame in June, 2011.

Other Awards, Memberships, Contributions and Achievements:

  • A member of the Georgia Athletics Coaches Association.

  • A member of the Atlanta Tipoff Club for more than 20 years, serving on the National Advisory Board and the Georgia Advisory Board.

  • Served several years as chairman of statewide team rankings and player selection committee.

  • Originally devised and implemented the format for the successful GISA state basketball tournament which brings the AAA-AA semi-finals and finals to the Georgia College Centennial Center.

  • A member of the Newton Co. Bulldog Club Hall of Fame.

  • Inducted into the G.I.S.A. Hall of Fame.

  • He received the Newton Co. Jaycees Distinguished Service Award.

  • Honored by the Georgia Future Farmers of America with the Georgia Planter Award for work in their summer camping program for 24 years at the State FFA-FHA Camp.

  • Recognized by state legislature on numerous occasions through the years.

  • Selected by Ga. Assn. of Health, P.E. & Recreation as featured speaker for their annual convention, aw well as coaching clinics throughout the state and nation

  • Floor supervisor for basketball during the '96 Olympic Games

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