#MOTIVATED
Ryan Bradley

February 6, 2018

By Christel Gollnick with Megan Wyeth

CHARACTER TRAIT: Motivated

DEFINITION: Prompted to act towards a goal.

Ryan Bradley is an American figure skater that is known for his humor, love of learning, and ability to fly – over the ice. He is one of only a few U.S. men to land two quadruple jumps in a free skate competition and recently led his team, Bradley’s Brawlers, with a lot of jovial fun and smiles to a win at the 2017 Aerial Figure Skating Challenge.

Bradley was born November 17,1983, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Hanging out at ice rinks since birth with his figure skating sister and parents, he began ice skating at the very young age of 2 in the U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills Program. He retired from competitive skating in 2011, but not before becoming the U.S. National Champion that year. He is also the 2008 Skate Canada International silver medalist, the 2009 Skate America bronze medalist, and a three-time U.S. Collegiate champion. Over his competitive career, he collected more than 70 medals in regional, national and world stage events.

Today he shares his love of the sport by coaching at the Broadmoor Skating Club and Colorado Springs World Arena. An avid reader and lover of learning, he also studies business at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs and aspires to earn a graduate degree at the University of Kansas.

Photo Credits: Megan Wyeth for Pronto Cafe and http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/profile/ryan_bradley

#PATRIOTIC

When you think of St. Joseph you might automatically think of the Pony Express or the historic architecture, but it’s doubtful many St. Joseph residents can picture the city without the big, gray airplanes that routinely fly over town.

#HISTORIC

A visit to the St. Joseph museums is … Quirky. Surprising. Curious. Impressive. Enlightening. And totally worth a day, or an afternoon, or a full weekend with the family.

#APPETIZING

There’s a lot of history, hard work and tradition packed into the Barbosa’s restaurant legacy in St. Joseph.

#CURIOUS

Mount Mora Cemetery, home to 14,000 to 18,000 deceased individuals, is curiously and remarkably alive.

#LUCKY

Games of chance and dining establishments have been a part of St. Joseph, Missouri’s uncommon character since the earliest settlers gathered to let off some steam and gamble on optimistic odds.