Brett Vesel enters his 40^th year of coaching football and his 30^th year as a head football coach.  Having much success turning around some struggling programs, he brought success to many of those programs. This will be Coach Vesel’s first year at the helm for the Raiders.

Coach Vesel, a Duluth Minnesota native, began his college playing career at Vermilion Community College. Playing fullback for the legendary and Vermilion Hall of Fame Coach – Rudy Semeja for two years – Vesel earned Region XIII honors.  After playing and graduating for the Ironmen, Vesel played his remaining two years at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, for another legendary coach, Gil Krueger, beginning his career at fullback and becoming an all-conference honorable mention offensive guard for the Yellowjackets.

As a high school head football coach, Coach Vesel brought the Carlton Bulldogs (Carlton, MN) to their only State Tournament berth in school history; in Vesel’s last year coaching the La Crosse Logan Rangers (La Crosse, WI) he brought them to the school’s best ever finish in school history – making it to the State Quarterfinals – a feat that wouldn’t be matched for 12 years after his departure;  and under Vesel, the La Crescent Lancers (La Crescent, MN) had their best years bringing the Lancers to their best ever finish in school history with a 9-2 record while bringing them to two Section Championship games.

Coach Vesel and his wife of 39 years, Gerilyn, have 5 kids – Kraig, Kristin, Isaac, Shayley, and Alexandria along with 8 grandkids.  Kraig is currently an assistant football coach and teacher at Pequot Lakes High School (Pequot Lakes, MN); Kristin is an Academic All-American collegiate volleyball player from Riverland CC (Austin, MN); Isaac (Ike) is a former collegiate University of Minnesota-Duluth Football player and currently the Head Football Coach for the Melrose Dutchmen (Melrose, MN); Shayley is a former collegiate standout basketball player at St. Mary’s University (Winona, MN); and Alexandria is a current Women’s Raider Basketball player for CLC.

Other than a passion for coaching football, Vesel has a passion for coaching in general, also being a Head Wrestling Coach, Head Boys & Girls Track Coach, Head Girls Basketball Coach, Head Girls Hockey Coach, and Head Girls Flag Football Coach with various programs throughout the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin, also working with many youth athletic programs.

Beyond the gridiron, Coach Vesel has committed his career to motivating student-athletes to “DARE TO BE GREAT” and to become the best person they can be in every facet of their lives!