By:Eric Pratt
Messenger Sports Editor
For Iowa Central's Bridget Coleman, being named the 2023 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Coach of the Year was the perfect reminder she's exactly where she needs — and wants — to be.
Coleman found herself at the center of the NIRA world during a recent ceremony in Casper, Wyoming. She was, of course, thankful for the attention and the recognition. However, this was more a time of reflection and appreciation for just how far her Triton rodeo program has come in the last 15 years.
"When I started here in 2008, we were between presidents at Iowa Central and the program was on the verge of being cut," said Coleman, a native of Savannah, Mo. "Dr. (Dan) Kinney had just been hired, and the initial agreement was to keep it for (one more season) and see if we could get things turned around. So we've literally built this program from the ground up. There were eight kids (on the Triton rodeo team) when I came here (now there are nearly 40); a lot of them saw the writing on the wall and had moved on to other schools.
"In moments (of celebration) like this, you can't help but think back. This is my baby. I've had offers to go elsewhere, but I take so much pride in the fact that we brought this program back from the (verge of extinction). My heart and my soul are at Iowa Central."
There are 11 regions in college rodeo, with schools ranging from the junior college to the Div. I level. The Tritons are in the Central Plains Region, which includes Iowa State, Nebraska and South Dakota State, among a host of others.
This past spring, the Iowa Central men's squad won the Central Plains title. The women were fourth. Coleman was named regional coach of the year for the fifth time in her career, which automatically qualified her for national consideration.
The annual College National Finals Rodeo competition in Casper attracts the best of the best from across the country. On Wednesday night of championship week, the national coach of the year recognition takes place.
This was Coleman's first award at the national level.
"It was a pretty surreal experience," said Coleman, a 2005 graduate of Missouri Valley College who earned her master's degree from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. in 2007. "During the ceremony, they showed a video of highlights and comments with interviews from my kids (in the program) and what Triton rodeo meant to them. They played a slideshow, and at one point, turned off all the lights in the arena and lit the 'ICCC' logo on fire. They put a microphone on me for the ESPN broadcast, which will air in August. I was presented with a 'coach of the year' belt buckle. And the mayor of Casper proclaimed it 'Bridget Coleman Day.'
"This is just a reminder, though, that it's all about the kids in our program. They're getting an education doing what they love to do, which is what makes college rodeo such a great experience. This isn't about me — it's about helping young men and women reach their goals, find their passions and pursue their dreams."
Under Coleman's direction, Iowa Central has advanced over 30 individuals into the CNFR. She was named Great Plains Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2018 and 2023.
Coleman is assisted on the coaching staff by her husband, Tommy, and John Young. Tommy Coleman is a Fort Dodge native.
"The support from Iowa Central and the Fort Dodge community is almost overwhelming at times," Coleman said. "From Dr. (Jesse) Ulrich (ICCC president) to Coach (Kevin) Twait (the Tritons' athletic director) on down…it's just second to none.
"My husband has done a phenomenal job. During (the national coach of the year process), he contacted former (Triton rodeo team members), fellow coaches, other alumni, and put a folder together of pictures, letters and quotes. I can't even begin to tell you what that meant to me. With John and my husband's help, we've really built something here we can be proud of, which goes way above and beyond just the performance of the kids (in the sport itself)."
The success has been impressive and sustained, but Coleman is steadfast in reminding everyone that "school comes first, no matter what."
"I'm an open book: what you see is what you get," Coleman said. "We're not just here for the sport — the goal is to get young men and women prepared for the real world and their future.
"Tommy and I have two young kids at home, but I have 40 kids in this program that are also my own. Their families have trusted me to take care of them, hold them accountable and move on (from Iowa Central) as better people than when they arrived. That is my biggest responsibility. It's an honor."
Coleman is just the second female NIRA Coach of the Year in the 75-year history of the institution.
"I'm seeing more female coaches (in rodeo and in sports), which is very empowering," Coleman said. "But I don't necessarily think of myself (as a trailblazer). I'm just trying to make a difference and have a positive impact on the kids. It's all about them, and everyone helping everyone else become better versions of themselves.
"It's nice to take a step back and reflect…I see where some of our former student-athletes are now that they're five, 10 or 15 years removed from the program, and when we hear back from them, knowing you had an impact and a hand in shaping the trajectory of their lives — there's just no better feeling. So this award is for them, as well as everyone who has believed in our program along the way."