Badger Football Coach Bret Bielema To Appear At Badger Stage Games Opening Ceremony

Bret Bielema, new Badger football coach will lead the athlete parade along with 2006 Honorary Athlete Gary Shuchuk, former Badger hockey standout and NHL alumni at the Badger State Games the Opening Ceremony in the Village of Rothschild, near Wausau on February 3, 2006.

Bret Bielema is in his first year as head football coach at the University of Wisconsin. Bielema was Wisconsin's defensive coordinator in 2004 and 2005, a period in which the program produced a 19-6 record under head coach Barry Alvarez.

Bielema earned four letters (1989-92) after joining the Iowa football program as a walk-on. He 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. Bielema has participated in 10 bowl games as a player or coach.

As a former player Bret recognizes the advantages of starting early. "Any time you mix sports and society, you give young people the opportunity to grow," said Bielema. "It gives them a competitive edge they can carry into their personal life."

"Tournaments such as the Badger State Games give athletes the chance to showcase their talents." Bielema knows all about looking for talent as he has spent the past couple months on the road recruiting for the Badgers.

Coach Bielema can be seen leading the athlete parade along with Gary Shuchuk, the Honorary Athlete of for this year's games, and Secretary of Tourism, Jim Holperin at the 2006 Badger State Winter Games Opening Ceremony on February 3, 2006 in the Village of Rothschild, just south of Wausau. The festivities start at 5:30 pm and will include free food, snowshoe demonstrations, a bon fire, horse and wagon rides and a hot air balloon on display. Comedy Sportz, a family-friendly improvisation act out of Milwaukee, WI will perform from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm. The Ceremony starts at 7:00 pm and fireworks will follow. All events are free and the public is encouraged to attend.

The 2006 Games will take place this weekend, January 27-29 and next, February 3-5. Archery, Bowling, Youth and Women's hockey will take place January 27-29, 2006, while the remaining sports, Alpine Skiing, Billiards, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Men's Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Quadrathlon, Ski Jumping, Snowboarding, Snowshoe Racing, Speedskating as well as the Opening Ceremony will occur February 3-5, 2006 in and around north-central Wisconsin.

For more scheduling information and to register for the 2006 Winter Games, log on to www.badgerstategames.org or call 608-226-4780.

Wausau Insurance Companies presents the Badger State Winter Games. Major sponsors are American Family Insurance, Charter Communications, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and Saint Joseph's Hospital-Ministry Health Care, with special thanks to TravelWisconsin.com and the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation is a nonprofit sports management organization that helps develop sports tourism in Wisconsin and promotes positive lifestyles and physical fitness through amateur athletic events and health education programs. WSDC owns the Badger State Games, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, the Wisconsin Sports Foundation, Paddle & Portage, Shape Up Wisconsin Kids, Lighten Up Wisconsin and the Fit Kids Challenge. WSDC is also the local host of Ironman Wisconsin