LEAVES PLENTY OF TIME TO
REMINISCE ON DEROSE'S QUARTER
CENTURY OF SUCCESS WITH THE
BRAVES. <<(Matt McClain/WMBD
Sports: On this week 25 years
ago, Jim DeRose made his
coaching debut with Bradley
soccer in a 2-1 victory. And
as the old adage goes, time
flies when you are having fun.
Jim DeRose/Bradley soccer
coach: No, it does not feel
like 25 years ago, and that's
great. I've loved all my time
at Bradley and all the people
I've met and all the young
people that I've got a chance
to coach. So that's been
fantastic. Matt McClain/WMBD
Sports: During his time with
the Braves, DeRose had led the
program to 250 wins and seven
NCAA tournament appearances.
But for DeRose, it's the
relationships he's built off
of the pitch that mean the
most. Jim DeRose/Bradley
soccer coach: We could rattle
off all of the great things,
seven NCAA tournaments, four
of those are at- large, which
is the hardest thing to do at
mid-majors. You know, it's the
young people, being invited to
weddings, seeing people come
back. That's certainly the
most exciting thing that we
like to talk about. Matt
McClain/WMBD Sports: Bradley
assistant coach Tim Regan has
played a role in 10 of
DeRose's 25 years with the
Braves. Regan says the key to
coach DeRose's success on the
hilltop is his unrelenting
energy and passion he puts
into the program. Tim
Regan/Bradley assistant coach:
It's the people, it's the
program, it's what coach
DeRose brings every day. It's
what the people around him do.
It goes through every student
athlete, every manager, every
coach. All the people that are
involved with the program, he
drives the energy for that and
so, 25 years speaks for
itself. Jim DeRose/Bradley
soccer coach: I think the
thing I hold in the greatest
value is that we've been able
to be imbraced by this
community. We are in the top
30 every year in attendance,
and I think hopefully we've
made a difference in the
community with some of the
philanthropy we've done,
having people be here. When
you win games, winning games
is great, but not if you can't
share them with people.)>> IN
LOCAL GOLF...JEFF OTT TRYING
TO WIN HIS THIRD STRAIGHT
PEORIA SENIOR CITY
CHAMPIONSHIP. DAN MORAN WAS
