JIM "BUSH" BUSHKOFSKY

While he was growing up as the oldest of five farm boys in Elkader, Iowa...Jim "Bush" Bushkofsky never could have imagined how much he would accomplish in the game of basketball. "I just always loved to play basketball and I never really thought about going to or playing in college," Bush said. Although, by the time Bush was a senior at Central of Elkader High School, Upper Iowa University in Fayette (UIU), among many other local Iowa Conference schools, recruited him to play for them.

Jim decided that he wanted to continue his playing career and education. So he enrolled at UIU and what a career it was. Once he learned to adjust to the differences from high school academics and basketball to college academics and basketball, Bush was off and running. He was on the All-Iowa Conference team his last three years at UIU ('71-'74), conference most valuable player (mvp) his last two years ('72-'74), All-American and the Iowa amateur player of the year during his senior season ('73-'74). Bushkofsky is still UIU's all-time leading career, season and game scorer. His 62 point effort in his junior season landed him in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" column. Please let me remind you fans, there was not a shot clock or three point shot during Bush's career. So it wasn't just local, state or regional acclaim for Bush, he was getting national attention, too. Jim told me, "I had to learn and adjust to playing against bigger, faster and stronger players in college than I had faced in high school. While I was in high school, I was fortunate to have played for a fast-breaking style of team and at 6'-6", my ability to run the floor definitely put me at an advantage."

After his great college career, Bush was doubly honored by being invited to try out for the Pan American Games team and he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association, in the spring of 1974. Jim mentioned, "I wasn't able to attend both try out camps because they were scheduled at the same time. I had to call legendary coach Dean Smith and decline his offer for the Pan Am team tryout because I had chosen to give professional basketball a try." As things worked out, Bushkofsky was asked to stay on in Cleveland as a non-roster player and maybe he could catch on with the NBA team if he beat out another player or if someone was injured. Bush declined that offer and decided that it was time to head back to Iowa and help out with his family because his dad was sick and Jim and his wife Vickie also had a family of their own.

Jim returned from Cleveland and  continued to play AAU basketball for the next few years. He accepted a teaching and coaching (assistant basketball and head baseball) offer from West Central of Maynard Schools. He worked there for three and a half years. Then he accepted a sales job offer in the farming industry and he has remained in that occupation. Bush still stays connected to the game of basketball by filling his free time as a high school basketball official. Jim states, "I still love the game."

QUICK HITTERS

1. My favorite musician:

country singer Alan Jackson

2. My favorite tv show:

old-time westerns like Gunsmoke and Bonanza

3. My favorite movie:

Dance with Wolves

4. My idol:

my dad and my high school basketball and baseball coaches

5. My favorite sports memory:

winning the 1977 AAU state of Iowa basketball championship

6. My favorite life memory:

marrying may wife Vickie and the birth of our two children

7. The one person I'd like to meet:

(it's a tie between) John Wayne and Michael Jordan

8. My advice to kids:

set the bar high on your dreams/work hard and don't give up

9. My advice to parents:

have faith in your kids/remember that you were young and made mistakes, too

Continued success to Jim Bushkofsky.