Concordia University Chicago Athletics

Jim Braun, ’71, was a two-sport letterman at Concordia. He started three years at linebacker for the Cougar football team, serving as captain in 1969 and student assistant coach in 1970. Braun also competed on the wrestling team for two seasons.

            
Braun coached football and tennis at Concordia St. Paul, and his football team produced two conference titles in his four years. Braun returned to River Forest in 1983 to take the reins of the Cougar football program. In his 15 years as Cougar coach, he was twice named Illini-Badger Conference Coach of the Year (1983, 1987). Braun coached 17 football All-Americans in his tenure, and he led the Cougars to a school-best record of 7-2 in 1987 after playing on the school’s only other 7-2 team in 1968. In 1988, Braun took charge of the Cougar track team, coaching many Concordia record-holders including one All-American.

            
Braun earned his M.S. from Indiana State University in 1975, a Certificate of Advanced Studies from Concordia in 1989, and will earn his PhD in education from the University of Illinois/Chicago in late 2003. He has taught for over 30 years, marking his 25^th anniversary as an LCMS teacher in 1996. Braun is currently at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora where he is a guidance counselor and a coach for girls’ track and boys’ sophomore football. He was awarded the Most Influential Teacher award in 2001 and 2002.