Brad Tippett – Athlete
Brad Tippett was born on Sept. 8, 1959, in Regina, Sask., and grew up in Moosomin, Sask. were he developed a variety of athletic abilities before moving to Prince Albert in 1972.
Once he moved to Prince Albert, his hard work and dedication made him successful in every sports endeavor he undertook.
In soccer he was a provincial champion at the under-14 and under-16 levels and he was a provincial finalist in the under-18 division. He played for the Sask. Selects for two years in the under-16 division and was a part of the silver medal squad at the 1976 Saskatchewan Summer Games.
In school sports, Brad won the Grade 8 athletic award at Arthur Pechey School and he also captured the top athlete award for Grade 10 while attending Prince Albert Central Institute. His involvement in high school sports ranged from football to basketball to soccer to wrestling to track and field. He was a top athlete in each of these disciplines while still maintaining a high average in academic studies as his Grade 10 provincial math contest championship would support.
Hockey, however, was where Brad enjoyed the most success. Growing up in the West Hill area, Brad often played with other community clubs when they were on the road to provincials. In 1974, he was a pick-up by East Hill and helped that club capture the silver medal at the Saskatchewan Winter Games in North Battleford. In 1976, Brad joined the Melfort TMs of the North Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League and captured rookie-of-the-year honors while helping the club capture a provincial championship. The next year he moved up a level to play with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Prince Albert Raiders and again he was rookie-of-the-year as the Raiders reached the Centennial Cup final only to lose to Guelph, Ont. In 1978-79, Brad was a league all-star and was also a national champion as he helped the Raiders claim their second Centennial Cup in three years.
His work did not go unnoticed as he was awarded a scholarship to the University of Michigan. For the next four years he played for the Wolverines and during that time he captured every award imaginable. He was a team captain in his final year along with being named the most valuable player and hardest worker. A spot on the national senior all-star team was the final feather in his collegiate career as Brad graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in 1983.
Brad turned professional that summer and his first stop was with Sherbrooke of the American Hockey League. While with the main farm team of the Winnipeg Jets, Brad was once again the top rookie and he also captured the Molson Cup Award for three-star selections. Brad moved on to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for the 1984-85 season and while with the Komets he was named team captain while being in the top three in scoring.
Offered an opportunity to go home, Brad took on the marketing job with the Prince Albert Raiders in 1985 while also beginning his coaching career with the Midget AAA Raider club that competed in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League. Brad became an assistant coach with the Raiders the following year and moved in to the office for two more years as assistant general manager and then general manager.
A head coaching job in the Western Hockey League was too good of an opportunity to turn down so in the fall of 1989, Brad left Prince Albert for the Regina Pats where he remained for the next four years.
Brad continues to coach minor hockey and it is a certainty that his experiences and successes will rub off on the younger kids. His work ethic and determination were key ingredients to his success and it is because of them that the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Brad Tippett into the shrine in the athlete category.
Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
