Dr. John Bratcher begins his fourth season with the Seahawks Women's Soccer program after 12 seasons as Head Coach at Indiana Wesleyan University. Bratcher enters his 35th year of collegiate coaching overall amassing a record of 512-208-47 and been to the NAIA Tournament five times.
Recently in November of 2014, Bratcher was inducted into the Lee University Athletic Hall of Fame as a Head Coach.
In 12 seasons at Indiana Wesleyan, Bratcher has compiled a record of 187-51-16 and led the Wildcats to nine Mid-Central College Conference titles in 10 years. He is a four-time MCC Coach of the Year, a two-time NAIA Region VIII Coach of the Year and a three-time NCCAA Coach of the Year. Bratcher was named the 2010 NSCAA NAIA Region Coach of the Year.
In 2007, Bratcher led the Wildcats to a 21-2-1 record and fourth NCCAA title in program history. En route to the national championship, Indiana Wesleyan won the MCC regular season and postseason titles. Indiana Wesleyan completed the season as the top-ranked team in the NCCAA and No. 12 in the final NAIA poll.
In 2006, Bratcher received the NISOA National Merit Award for his outstanding contributions to soccer and his record of sportsmanship and professionalism. In 2008, the women's soccer team received the national NAIA Champions of Character Award.
Prior to Indiana Wesleyan, Bratcher served as the men's soccer coach at Lee (Tenn.) University in addition to a three year stint as the women's soccer coach. His men's teams posted a 170-102-17 record and his women's teams posted a 36-21-2 record.
Bratcher's teams at Lee combined for 12 appearances at the NCCAA national tournaments. He was named Coach of the Year in the old TVAC conference in 1995 and 1996 and was named 2002 Co-Coach of the Year in the Trans-South Conference. Bratcher was the NCCAA Regional/District Coach of the Year eight times and was named the NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year in 1996.
Before Lee, Bratcher served at Grand Rapids Baptist (Mich.) College (now Cornerstone University) men's soccer coach where he compiled a 119-34-10 record. While in Grand Rapids, Bratcher was named NCCAA Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1985.
In addition to coaching Bratcher has been a division chair, athletic director and has served on several professional committees throughout his career in academics, the community and athletics. Beginning in 2008, Bratcher was named to the NAIA women's soccer executive committee. Bratcher was inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame in 1997.
Off the field, Bratcher has led his teams to 13 mission trips to Jamaica. During the trips, the players directed soccer clinics, painted public schools, lay bricks at new churches and worked at orphanages.
Bratcher earned a B.A. degree in Health and Physical Education from Grace (Ind.) College in 1973, a M.S. in Education and Physical Education from the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in 1974, graduate credits from Michigan State University in 1979-80 and from Western Michigan University in 1982. He attended Middle Tennessee State University on a Doctoral Fellowship in 1983 and completed his Doctor of Arts Degree in Physical Education in 1984.
Bratcher and his wife, Vanetta, have two sons, J.P., 29, and Michael, 26. His sons both played for the Indiana Wesleyan men's soccer team.
