And
welcome back WXCO morning report during mornings with pack right low here on 98.9 WXCO online at WXCO FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app
Wednesday morning, the second day of July of 2025.
Glad you could be with us.
Good morning to you again, Ian Welsh.
Good morning.
And in fact, we have a guest here this morning, the brand new athletic director of Wausau West High School, BJ Brandt.
Mr. AD, welcome.
Different title, but thanks, Chad.
I appreciate that.
When the announcement came last week that you're the new AD and that...
You're resigning as head hockey coach at wasa wasa because you can't do it.
You this is a big job here.
You can't do both We at the end of the show have a number for the day quiz and you are the topic I always give Ian the topic and you happen to be the topic and the number for the day was How many wins did BJ Brandt finish with as head hockey coach at wasa wasa high school for those 11 years I give him three choices and Ian did you get it correct?
Yes, I did.
Do you
remember how many wins Coach Brandt had?
If I remember correctly, I believe I said a 200.
That is exactly right.
That is correct.
A nice
even number to wrap it up.
Very impressive record, too.
Yes, it was.
But we'll talk a little bit about that coming up in a few moments.
But one reason you're here as well is because, obviously, you're still going to be a major part of the hockey program at Wausau.
That's along with all the other athletic programs.
But coming up later this month, it's another chance to take away the sticks and get the clubs out for the golf invite.
Yeah.
This is, gosh, I should know the number, but I feel like 17th is the number that we've been doing this.
And it's the biggest fundraiser for this group and for the hockey program.
And like I said, 17 years, it's been going on a long time.
And July 26th, we've got the annual event.
And I know that we're still looking for sponsors.
And I know we've got a bunch of great sponsors signed up for it.
But they're always looking for...
Golfers and I think that's the biggest way right now when somebody says how can I participate in the funders here?
It's sign up for golf get a four some in there and and participate because there'll be a whole bunch of raffles and and day of raffles and and just some of that stuff that that really helps fund the program when you think about all sport programs especially the West hockey program what it takes to run it and there's resources that are needed and and this golf voting is a huge
producer of those resources and funding for the West Hockey Program.
What do folks have to do in order to say no?
folks out there who would like to get out there and just enjoy golf number one.
It's a lot of fun to be out there at Pine Valley and be part of a little event.
You have a chance to win and all that good stuff.
But also if you're somebody that does appreciate what the Wasa West Hockey brings to our community for the kids at Wasa West as well, how do they go about signing
up?
Well, you can go to wasawesthockey.com.
There's a golf outing link there.
Most of the signing up happens through the website there.
And you can just log in.
I think you create a small username and email, email and password and, and, and sign your foursome up.
You can sign up as a individual golfer.
You can sign up as, as two, three or four.
And, and if there's, there's, you know,
a hole in your foursome, they'll fill it up with an individual golfer as well.
But if you're somebody that has a group before, great sign up.
If you're somebody that's thinking about it and want it, sign up and we'll put you with a fun team to have a great time.
We've been really lucky with weather on that day and every year we have, I tell them I'm in charge of the weather and hopefully it's another great day to celebrate.
I mean, there's a lot of things to celebrate because it's the moment where you kick off what's coming up next year, but you celebrate a little bit what happened last year.
year as well, and we had a lot of things to celebrate.
And I also noticed on the Wasa West Hockey Facebook page, if you click on the event, there's a direct link to the golf outing as well.
So let's go straight to facebook.com and go to Wasa West Hockey and then go to the Wasa West Hockey Golf invite and hit on that and then the straight direct link and that make it nice and easy for folks to be involved.
So that's fantastic.
So again,
Not too far away, in fact, at the end of this month, this month, it's already July, the end of this month.
So obviously, if you can get out there, then I plan on being out there myself.
So you can say hello to me and say hello to BJ and also it's always fun, you have the guys out there at the holes.
Yeah, one of the ways that the kids get involved is they're at every hole.
Whether it's a whole event or not, they're pulling pins, they're interacting with the people that are helping fund our program.
And that's a big part of it.
I think the kids have to have the responsibility and learn to be
be super grateful for what they have.
And it's through the events of the golf hunting and the golfers and the people that plan it within the Booster Club.
And just it takes a massive team to pull off this event.
And for the players to be out there and be appreciative and to put for people when they watch Wausawes play.
They don't always get to see him without the face mask on and the gear on, you know, so so you get to interact with them a little bit on each hole.
Fantastic.
So again, go to wassaleshockey.com or go to facebook.com or the wassaleshockey page and sign up for the wassaleshockey invite coming up at the end of this month.
Again, what's the exact date?
26
July
26 Saturday morning, July the 26th.
So again, something to look forward to there.
We will get more with new wassa west athletic and activities director bj brand.
We're going to talk about that change over, uh, leaving the hockey head coaching position that he had been so successful at for the past 11 years with 200 wins and, uh, turning the page to become the wassa west ad was continue with more with bj brand, uh, coming up at, uh, 752 this morning.
Also a quick note that, uh, coming up tonight, we have more.
Play-by-play action.
We are very proud to be the only Wausau radio station that still provides live play-by-play of high school.
adjacent sports.
We are out of the high school season, but we are still following some American Legion softball.
Wausau Post 10 as the Wausau Post 10 tonight will be in Marathon taking on Marathon and we will be on the air for that one starting with the pregame show at 620 and the first pitch at 630.
We're very proud again to be the only Wausau area radio station that still provides local play by play coverage of the high school ranks and the American Legion ranks 90.
98.9 WXCO.
Well, coming up, we are going to get a farm report, get the latest from Pam Yankee and the crew with the farm report, plus a look at the weather.
Yep, it's a nice summer like early July morning here in Central Wisconsin.
Again, we are live from the corner of Washington Street and North Third Street in downtown Wausau.
The Wausau morning report, part of mornings with Pat Crichton, more with Pat coming up as well here on 98.9 WXCO.
Well, I
And welcome back.
It is the WXCO morning reports as part of mornings with Pat Crite Low here on 98.9 WXCO.
I am Chad Holmes along with Ian Welsh.
And this morning we are talking to the new athletic director of Wasawas High School, BJ Brandt.
And obviously he has to step aside from his hockey coaching duties after 11 successful years as the Warriors head hockey coach.
And I asked BJ.
How difficult a decision was it?
Tons of thought.
I mean, I think about the 19 years I spent in the classroom here and as a technology education teacher.
So that's through graphics and teaching, teaching graphics and welding and woodworking and, and, you know, small engine repair and engineering and some of that stuff.
And then all of those things I've done throughout my 19 years as a teacher.
Um, a lot of thoughts into that because I, I, I love teaching.
I love, you know,
the field that I was in, because it's all hands on learning.
You're teaching kids how to do things that they'll be able to do for the rest of their lives.
When you teach a kid how to weld, they won't forget it.
It'd be like riding a bike.
It might be a little rusty on the front side, but once they get into it again, they'll be able to do it.
And within our department, it was to provide kids opportunities locally here to whether they wanted to go right into the workplace.
go to a two-year college, get a diploma, go into an apprenticeship program, or pursue a four-year degree.
We wanted to provide them the skills to get into all of those options in each kid at a different option.
So a lot of thoughts there because with my department, Theron, Nick, and I have been in there for all 19 years.
There's a version, Nick traveled for a couple of years in there, and then he's been at West for the last 16, 17 years.
relationships and thinking about those things and, and obviously the hockey piece.
I mean, that was massive.
A lot of thought, a lot of conversation as a family, a lot of conversation, um, you know, with myself as I read in the car and those type of things to think about.
But when I, when, when ultimately made the decision to apply, it was, it was, you know,
family-based.
I mean I think right now with with this decision yeah there's gonna be tons of schedules and things in events that I have to go to but having you know two kids in high school now
I'll get to attend their events a little bit more.
I'll get to be a little more present in those events as dad.
And I think that's, you know, a huge part of the why because, you know, like we said off air, Emma's played over 50 high school hockey games and I haven't been to half of them and that's unfair to them.
And I think, you know, to be able to make that decision and have an opportunity to still stay in athletics and activities and still be involved with...
you know, the hockey program in some way, shape or form, I'll get to coach hockey at different levels with my other children with Davis and Kate.
And, you know, so the hockey piece is still there.
It's just going to be different.
And part of that is just being prepared for the next job and making sure I can do that well because I feel like we did a really
a bunch of really good things as a West Hockey program.
And hopefully some of those things we can apply across the spectrum at Wasa West between the activities and athletics.
What is the
process of hiring a new hockey coach?
Well, first it has to get posted.
And my understanding is that that opening will be posted this week.
Probably leave it open for a week, 10 days, something like that to see what candidates come in.
And I think the plan would be internally to...
to make sure we have something here in the next couple of weeks so that our hockey program and families know who their next head coach is.
Talking to BJ Brandt, the athletic director at Wausau West High School here on 98.9 WXCO, the job.
And that's something that I probably should have had more of a discussion with some of the ADs that I know around here in Central Wisconsin, but what...
For folks that may, you know, they hear athletic directors all in charge of all the athletics.
And is it also activity director?
Because it's not just athletics, it's activities at Wausau West High School.
What does the job entail?
Well, right now, it's a lot of learning, Chad.
I'll tell you that.
Having gone in this morning, just learning software systems and how to live within the job a little bit.
But I think a lot of it has to do with managing the coaches and the activity directors to make sure that they have everything they need or as much as we can provide to do their jobs.
And I think that's a big part of it.
And goal number one for me is to, you know, having been in the athletic department and activities department.
you know your little silo.
You don't know everybody else's little silo.
So I think the first goal for me is to make sure that I meet with our activity directors and coaches to make sure that, you know, number one.
to introduce myself on that level and get to know them a little bit on their coaching and activity director level, but then to make sure that they have what they need.
And a lot of it, right now, when you think of athletics, it's game schedules, it's referees, it's officials, it's managing the field house and making sure there's not a boys and a girls game scheduled at the same time or to make sure between the softball diamonds and the new facilities that we have there are.
prepped and ready to go.
A lot of it seems to be that's going to be a big bulk of what the job is.
But then it's
planning transportation for all activities and athletics to make sure that they have the busing they need, the cars, the vehicles, the rentals, whatever they would need to provide to get those kids to their competitions, whether that's a DECA competition, an FCCLA competition, a SkillsUSA, or the athletics side where you're competing on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and Saturday nights.
And there's so much unexpected, I imagine, as well, because I mean, I remember thinking about the athletic directors and the activity directors.
when it came, especially in the COVID and post-COVID time.
You never know when something's gonna come up.
You talk about the officials, man, that's becoming more and more difficult.
There's a lot of things to keep you on your toes, isn't there?
Yeah, there's some layers I sat with Jason Foster this morning and...
I mean, you're just writing down frantically, trying to catch little pieces and nuggets here and there that will stick a little bit in terms of how to set up an event.
You have the ability to be organized and do that, but now you have to do it within a system that you're unfamiliar with.
So I think the first step will be learn that system a little bit and then start putting together those type of game schedules.
And Brittany Tash, our administrative assistant there, she does a fantastic job.
of keeping things going, you know, because there is a little bit of transition here and she's in there now just, you know, doing like, what do you need from me?
I'm like, I'll let you know when I know.
But it's exciting.
I'm excited about it.
I'm excited about the opportunity.
It's gonna be obviously a little more working with adults than it is with students and student athletes, but I think that's the part I can provide a little bit as to those connections that I've had with my players for 19 years.
And we will still have a few more minutes with the new athletic and activities director, former head hockey coach at Wausau West, B.J.
Brandt, but we'll take a time out and then get back for more with mornings with Pat Crite low after an information update at the top of the hour here on 98.9 W.
And welcome back.
It is the WXCO Wausau Morning Report, part of mornings with Pat Critello here on 98.9 WXCO, online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.
With Ian Walsh, I am Chad Holmes, and we are continuing a conversation that I had yesterday.
He came on by and had a chance to talk to the brand new athletic director at Wausau West High School.
This started yesterday, B.J.
Brandt, and I asked the former warrior hockey coach, how much is he gonna miss being on the ice, especially for those practices and being around the kids during those times?
I'm gonna miss that immensely.
I mean, the day-to-day...
the locker room, the players, the relationships, like that stuff is.
I
mean,
I guarantee I'm gonna miss that.
Like there's no doubt about it.
We have such a good group of kids in the program and to be able to hand those kids off to the next person and the things we've been able to teach them over that time period.
We talk a lot about life.
We talk about how does this, what does this mean?
How do we apply this to our lives?
And I think that's a part of my message as an Activities and Athletic Director is we're teaching life through sport and more teaching life.
through performance, whether that's, you know, the, the, the drama world where you're doing different performances, pop concerts and, and things aren't going to go right and things aren't going to go right.
And, and what does that mean?
And how do we, how do we teach life through those, um, those moments?
And I think that's, that's a big part of the message that I want to carry over from my coaching days and, and into, to the administrator role is to how do we continue to do that?
Because that's the reality of what high school sports and sporting events and.
and competitions and activities are all about is preparing these kids for life beyond high school.
As we go into the 2025, 2026 school year, and obviously a few months ago there was a referendum that did not pass, and obviously that leads to a lot of questions.
What's the state of play right now at West for athletics and activities?
Are there additional challenges that you're hearing about?
Because maybe some of the, obviously there was a need.
that was thought of for this referendum.
What is the state of play right now for the Athletics and Activities Department of Waston West?
You said it.
It's about giving everything that possibly could be needed for the folks that are involved at both the administrative level, coaches and others who are leading departments, and then also for the students involved in those activities.
What a, I guess it's hard to put, but how much of a challenge is there at this point going into the new school year?
Well, I think every, every, this is probably true for every athletic department and activities group is, is you never have enough funding, you know, and it's finding resources is finding funding to, to make sure that the coaches and the athletes and the competitors.
get to just worry about that.
And I think that's, that's obviously been a challenge in my 11 years as a head coach, my, you know, my budget never went up.
Um, and, and I don't, I don't think that part's going to change.
So it's just a matter of how can we, how can we take what we have and make the most of it?
And, and I'm sure I'm going to learn a ton.
Like the biggest thing for me right now is to learn and get to meet people because as you know, Chad, like relationships matter to me.
And, and that is a big part of, of why we've been able to have success.
because of relationships and getting to know people.
And I think that'll be part of what I want to do in terms of learning the staff, learning the students, and learning how we can make it as successful as possible.
I want to underline that.
I've heard that before as well.
It's not just you, but the idea that the number has stayed the same for the last 11 years.
That's why an event like the golf already is such a vital one.
And I've seen it for all these sports.
I mean, you talk about it, because especially for a program like Boston West,
I mean you have these longer trips because the conference is Compressed because that means you know you have it used to be I mean you remember the days where Wisconsin Valley Conference would be about 80 90% of your schedule.
So the longest trip would be maybe to Marshfield or or whatever it may be rapids and nowadays with only The conference is getting this year Meryl being out in all the sports totally It's pretty amazing frankly that
that number has not changed in 11 years to show, again, how imaginative I imagine that a lot of folks have to be right now within these programs.
Well, to take it a step further, when Pete was said coach, our equipment budget was $1,200.
The entire time.
and Pete was coached for what, 36 years.
That equipment budget hasn't changed.
So when you think about that and just the way that the funding has changed, you have to have these fundraisers, you have to have booster clubs, you
have to
have ways for those departments and coaches to manage some of the finance piece of it.
That's been the greatest difference.
When you go from a head coach or from an assistant coach to a head coach, that's a big part of it is budgeting and planning.
And on the hockey side,
You know we used to play in North and Pines we used to play Lakeland We please you know would play those teams but now with the division one division two model There's there's not a reason to play those teams other than because they're close because you know when it comes to rankings and seedings and all those things That that changes it so then you go play the Madison Edgewoods the Eau Claire Norris the Eau Claire memorials and and you know you play those teams because it because
it matters And
it's an overnight year this a
heavy travel year for the warrior
hockey program
So another reason to help them out and get their golf holding numbers up so they can have fun.
We'll get you back and talk a lot more as you get into the job because I do think it's interesting to learn about that aspect of it.
I don't think many people would understand or know that, again, when you think about when Pete Susan started back in the...
early 70s.
The number is still the same.
It blows the mind to be out to be honest with you because especially hockey, which is kind of an expensive sport, to be honest with you.
So there's still plenty to talk about.
Let's wrap it up again by reminding folks, if you do want to help out and because of that number, that's the same as the mid mid 1970s coming up on Saturday, July 26th, the 17th annual Warrior Gulf Invitational at Pine Valley Golf Course.
Again, wasoeshockey.com.
There's a
a link there for for signing up.
And of course, we talk about, you know, getting a team together or just being a golfer that will put together on a team.
Maybe maybe I would be part of a team there.
So there's got to be great.
So maybe if you folks out there, you can request being on my team because I don't have any other people.
Nobody likes me.
So it's like, I'll be part of a foursome with somebody.
So maybe it could be you, but go to wassaleshockey.com, facebook.com.
There's a link there as well.
New wassales.
athletic director and longtime hockey coach B.J.
Brandt.
You can hear the entirety of this conversation by going to youtube.com.
You can see it as well.
And when he came in yesterday, go to youtube.com and the 98.9 WXCO page to see the entirety of this interview.
More to come here on WXCO.
back mornings with packed right low on 98.9 WXCO online at WXCO dot FM mobile devices and Alexa searching WXCO and on the civic media app.
The time is 853 71 degrees under sunny skies on a beautiful Wednesday morning.
Normally would call it a hump day Wednesday but short work week because of the holiday coming up Friday, of course, Independence Day, but
beautiful start, nevertheless, and hopefully the weather will hold up throughout the course of the holiday weekend.
I am Chad Holmes with Ian Welsh and Ian, I have not had a chance really to talk much to you as we had Wastel West Athletic Director.
We had a busy show.
Yeah, BJ Brant was with us talking in those first three local segments, but we will have your number for the day quiz.
We mentioned at the start that you got it right with Coach Brant.
Yes, I did.
It's gonna be another Wausau West Hockey number for the day today.
See if you can make it two out of two for those West Hockey numbers for the day.
So we'll have that coming up in just a few minutes.
Okay, I'll be ready.
Anything else on your mind?
What you been up to?
Well, mostly just mostly just doing rehearsals for River and Woods is a Shakespeare.
Yeah.
I don't have center stage rehearsal this week because it is the fourth of July weekend.
So it's nice to take a week off from that, but my dad was able to get some nice fireworks for us to shoot off on the, off on the fourth of July.
Be
careful though.
Be careful.
Absolutely.
Well, it's not the ones that shoot up in the
air, the ones that I shoot to the ground.
Yeah.
I think it's actually illegal to shoot off fireworks in a residential
neighborhood.
I think that's probably a good
thing.
People still do it anyway, but...
And
you don't want to be scaring the animals.
I've read some, even last weekend, of course, Wings Over Wass, a very popular event, but there were some folks that live in that area by the airport and all that noise with the airplanes and all that such got some pets really upset.
So you sometimes worry about that.
So hopefully the fireworks and the like this weekend will make too much inconvenience for those pets and their pet owners as
well.
And be
sure to take care of your pets and please be careful with the fireworks as well because just because it's cool, it doesn't mean it's not dangerous.
So you off to a good start.
Is everything going okay with the Shakespeare show that you're rehearsing?
It's really coming along very nicely.
We're all having a lot of fun with our characters.
We're making each other a laugh by goofing up our lines.
But so far in the theater and process, it's always nice to get a good
Wow, especially when it's a line that you don't understand at first, as you just make it funnier.
It's
coming along very nicely so far.
And what are you up to?
What's that number now?
What's number of shows?
Oh, this is...
Show number 75.
75.
That's a milestone one.
You know, we get to 25, 50, 75, and then next it'll be 100.
So as soon as I get to
100, I'm going to have a celebration.
I would think you deserve one if you get to 100.
That would be outstanding.
So yeah, we'll talk more as we get closer and closer to those shows again.
So one of those wonderful activities to take part in here in Central Wisconsin, whether on the stage or whether in the audience.
So we'll continue to
Keep an eye on that.
I wanted to mention as well that coming up this evening we will have again American Legion softball here on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm
Mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app Wasa post 10 who last night defeated Wittenberg-Burdenwood 12 to 2 in a game that we had right here on WXCO They'll look to make it a another victory tonight.
They will be taking on Marathon's Legion team so Wasa against Marathon in American Legion softball I will be in Marathon for that one starting with the pregame at 620 and the first pitch at 630 again live right here on 98.9
WXCO.
Coming up tomorrow morning, we'll have our monthly visit with Christine Daniels from The Good News Project.
We're going to get an update on their fundraising.
They're trying to continue to grow at The Good News Project.
So we'll talk to Christine Daniels about that tomorrow morning during our morning segments here on the WXCO morning report.
And we'll be wrapping up the work week tomorrow.
So in fact, we may do
We may try to squeeze in two numbers since we won't have a show on Friday.
I really gotta be focused then.
And you also, for folks next week, I am away on vacation, so we're gonna just be joining Pat Crite Low for the entirety of the show for next week.
So you're just gonna, you're gonna get a break from the number for the day, but you can give yourself a number every day if you feel like it.
But then we'll be back after that.
I quiz myself.
All right.
Well, let's jump in and get today's number for the day.
Yes, we taught to be J Brandt who spent the last 11 years as the Wausau West head hockey coach and he had 200 wins He had succeeded Hall of Famer Pete Susan's 200 wins is a lot but Pete Susan's as the Wausau West coach He was at West for 36 years as the head coach and the number for the day is how many wins did Pete Susan's have as Wausau West hockey coach
So your choices are 473 573 673 So which of those three numbers is the number for the day?
473 573 and 673 You know what
I'm gonna say
Just taking a guess here.
I'm trying to focus.
I'm gonna say 570.
three.
That's a lot of wins.
It seems like it'd be a
good number for a Hall of Famers.
I'm going to say 573.
Pete Susan's had 573 wins at Wausau Westcoach.
Thank goodness I needed that win.
He then added 89 more as the coach of the Central Wisconsin Storm after that.
So I mean, he had an incredible career.
Great guy as well.
So
good for him.
All right.
Is that the first one you got right this week?
Yes, it is.
The one for three back where you need to be and we'll
Try to squeeze two in tomorrow.
Yeah.
All right.
We'll have a good rest of your Wednesday.
You too, Chad.
Happy Wednesday, everybody.
Matanare on air coming up next here on 98.9 WXCOA.
