Bonnie Faber

When Bonnie coached her final game for the Rice Lake Girls Softball Team in 2000, she became the winningest coach for total career wins in the history of Rice Lake High School sports. It is a notable distinction she held from 1999 to 2012. She was the first coach of the Warrior’s girls softball team beginning in 1983. In her 18 years as coach, her teams won 215 games against 112 losses; a winning percentage of .657. In her first 7 years of coaching, her teams won 6 Ho’N conference championships. All told she won 7 conference championships, 5 regional championships and gained the sectional finals once in 1998, all against Division 1 schools. Bonnie graduated from Granton high school in 1968 when there were no girls sports. She received her B.A. from UW-Eau Claire in 1973 and her Masters from UW-La Crosse in 1976. After 5 years in Medford, she began her career in Rice Lake in 1981 as a learning disabilities teacher.
In addition to coaching the Warrior’s girls softball team, she helped the girls volleyball team for 25 years, either as head coach or as an assistant. Bonnie was a gifted athlete who enjoyed playing fastpitch and slowpitch, most recently in the Rice Lake Slowpitch Association. She retired from teaching in 2006 and is currently living in Rice Lake.

Dann Kann

Dann graduated from Stratford High School in 1966 as a three-sport athlete in football, wrestling and track. He set the school record of 4:37.1 in the mile, and advanced to the State meet in the mile three different years. He continued his education at UW-Stout, graduating in 1970 but not before setting their fieldhouse record in the mile. Dann then served in the U.S. Army with his tour of duty in Germany. In 1973 he became an Auto Body Repair instructor at WITC in Rice Lake.
Kann rekindled his athletic career by entering the Superior to Rice Lake 83-mile World Championship Snowshoe Race in 1977. Dann won the race in a record time of 13 hours, 24 minutes, more than 9 hours better than the previous winning time. It was then that Dann became an elite cross country skier. After only one year, Dann placed 23rd at the Birkebeiner and the next year won the Birkebeiner Citizen’s Class as the first American finisher not associated with the U.S. Ski Team. In 13 Birkebeiners, Kann was often the top Wisconsin finisher. Twice he placed 3rd in his age group and 7th overall in 1981. Through the 80’s Dann won 17 ski races throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan and took two gold medals in the 1986 Badger State Games. Internationally, Kann finished as the top North American in both the 30-k and 15-k event, placing 3rd in the world at 30 k and 4th at 15 k. Also at the World Masters Championships, Kann had the fastest North American time on the US 10-k relay team. His 3 North American firsts at the world games earned him the US Ski Assn. Masters Championship crown for 1986.
Dann continues to train year around in cross country skiing and bicycling. He is the co-owner of Spectrum Painting and he and his wife, Nancy, reside in Rice Lake.

Ron Parker

Ron graduated from Spooner High School in 1957. As a junior, he helped lead the 1956 Spooner Railroaders State Basketball Tournament Team as their starting guard when the tournament was all one division. He then attended UW-LaCrosse where he was a two-year letterman for the basketball team.
Ron taught and coached at the UW-Barron County campus in Rice Lake from 1969 to 1997. As the Charger’s basketball coach from 1969 to 1981, he built a highly successful program with a win-loss record of 166 – 84 and a winning percentage of .664 that included 5 Division Titles and 2 Conference Championships. In 1981 he was voted Wisconsin Collegiate Conference Basketball Coach of the Year. As golf coach, (1991-97), Ron’s teams won 3 Conference Championships and were State runners-up twice. All of his varsity teams finished with a win/loss record above 500. Ron is Associate Professor Emeritus, UW-BC, Department of Physical Education/Athletics. He was Athletic Director from 1980 to 1997 and received the Wisconsin Collegiate Conference “Meritorious Service Award”. Ron was a WIAA Basketball official for 17 years; WIAA Volleyball official for 15 years; Youth Basketball program volunteer official, and was assistant coach for the 1989 State Championship Rice Lake Fastpitch Softball Team for the Boys 18 and Under League. Ron is a member and past president of the R.L. Curling Club. He participated in the 2005 and the 2006 State and National Senior Curling Championships.
Prior to coming to Rice Lake, Ron taught and coached at St. Croix Central in Hammond, Wisconsin from 1963 to1969 with outstanding win-loss records: basketball 102-22, baseball 41-18, and football 29-3. Ron and his wife Jeanne currently reside in Rice Lake.

Gerald “Skip” Wick

Skip graduated from Rice Lake High School in 1948, lettering 3 years in football, basketball and track. During his senior year, Skip qualified for the State track meet in the pole vault. He was a two-way starter on the football team that won 3 consecutive conference championships in 1945, ‘46, and ’47, playing wide receiver and linebacker/defensive back. During his football career, Skip scored on many long pass plays as a receiver but it was as a defensive player that Skip really stood out. He was proficient at turnovers and turning them into scores for the Warriors. He was mentioned in several newspaper articles of the time as an outstanding tackler who was consistently in the opposing teams’ backfield “messing up their plays”. Skip was an integral member of the basketball team that also won 3 consecutive conference championships. Playing point guard in his senior year, Skip was the third leading scorer on the team.
After graduation, Skip attended UW-Eau Claire, playing football for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Army and serving for 3 years mostly in Korea. He rose to Platoon Sergeant and was decorated for his service in the Korean War.
After leaving the service, Skip returned to Wisconsin and enrolled at UW-Stout, playing football as a running back and defensive player. He was selected as Team MVP, elected Captain and was selected for All-Conference both years. After his college career was over, Skip was offered a tryout with the Chicago (Phoenix) Cardinals. He turned down the opportunity and stayed at UW-Stout as an Assistant Football Coach. In 1958, Skip moved to Hurley, Wisconsin as a teacher and football coach, serving many years as a JV and Varsity Coach. In 2011 Skip Wick was inducted into the UW-Stout Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2012 was inducted into the Hurley High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Skip and his wife Ginny currently reside in Hurley, Wisconsin.