BRONSON, MI (WTVB) – The newest six members of the Bronson High School Hall of Fame were formally inducted Friday night in between the junior varsity and varsity girls basketball games between Bronson and Springport.
This year’s inductees are Ted Modert, Pat Ross, Todd Germann, Chad Butters, Tom Rissman and Martin Woodcox.
Butters is a 1990 graduate of Bronson High School where he was a state champion wrestler during his senior year. He became an Assistant Wrestling Coach at Bronson two years later and served in that capacity until 2013 when he took the Head Coaching position. In ten years as head varsity coach, his teams have won nine district titles and six conference championships while also winning regional titles and appearing in the state finals.
German graduated from BHS in 1980 where he played 4 years each in basketball and tennis. He then went to Kalamazoo Valley Community College where he played basketball and received Honorable Mention All-American status, served as team captain and became team MVP. He then went on to play at Manchester College and was first team all-conference, team captain, and
MVP. German is now owner and director of the McCracken basketball camp and helped start the Special Olympics basketball program in Allen County, Indiana. Besides his dedication to basketball, Todd has made eight mission trips to El Salvador, Central America with Habitat for Humanity and Compassion International.
Modert was nominated in the category “School Performance in Athletics and Activities.” He was probably best known for his baseball career. He was a member of Bronson’s 1975 State Championship team during his junior year when he batted .398. Modert was offered a scholarship to play at D-1 Central Michigan University. He also participated in two professional tryout camps,
one with the Los Angeles Dodgers and one with the Cincinnati Reds. He also played four years of basketball and one year of football. After high school, Modert played many years of fast pitch and slow pitch softball, umpired high school baseball, and refereed basketball. He served several years on the Bronson Volunteer Fire Department and is a member and former officer of the Sturgis Elks. He currently manages Fiebig Jewelry in downtown Sturgis.
Rissman was nominated in the category of a BHS graduate who has made significant contributions to his community and society in general. The 1965 BHS graduate was involved in many activities in Bronson and Branch County, most as a volunteer. He served many years on the Bronson Volunteer Fire Department and carried Emergency Medical Technician certification. He was also a board member of the Bronson Rural Fire Association. Rissman volunteered many hours and often served as an officer of the many boards and commissions on which he served. He was a board member of the Congregational Church in Bronson. He owned and ran Bronson Business Service from 1972- 2013. Rissman was elected to the Bronson City Council in 1987 and in 2003 began a stint as Mayor. He was awarded a Special Tribute Award from the State of Michigan for Service to his Community in 2014.
Ross was born in Whiteville, North Carolina. After moving to Michigan, she taught for three years in Quincy before spending the next 35 years serving most as a Home Economics teacher in Bronson. She served for many years as the the President of the Bronson Education Association. She taught hundreds of students important life skills. Ross also served the Bronson Community by starting the “Sharing Christmas” program, the Canned Food Drive for the Bronson Food Bank, and provided holiday food baskets, including turkeys, for some families to ensure they could have a great holiday meal.
Woodcox was nominated and selected in the category of Contributions to Bronson High School. The Garrett, Indiana native spent 28 years teaching math, English, and physical education to seventh and eighth graders in Bronson Schools. Woodcox coached basketball, football, and tennis and was instrumental in running a basketball program for youngsters in grades four, five and six in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Woodcox coached Varsity Girls basketball and JV Boys basketball during the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s also serving as Varsity Boys’ assistant coach under Hall
of Fame Coach Bill Zabonlck. He coached Varsity Girls and Boys tennis from about 1972 until 1990 and ran the Summer Park Recreation program in the late 60’s and early 70’s.
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