Bruce “Biff” Warren has been an Assistant Coach for Niwot
High since 2002, working with the “C” team. He also served as an
Assistant Coach in 1997 when his son Michael was a freshman catcher, then
retired to the stands to watch him play as a member of the 1998, 1999, and 2000
state championship teams. In 2004, Michael coached the summer Legion “C” team,
and Biff served as his assistant coach.
Biff’s daughter, Randi Willemsen, coached
softball at Niwot High from 1998 through 2001, including the last two years as
Head Coach. Biff served as an Assistant Coach for the JV squad and served
as the Head Coach of the “C” team in 2001, when his youngest daughter, Katie,
played as a freshman. Biff began coaching baseball in 1977 with Gunbarrel
Lefthand Valley Recreation Association, now known as Niwot Youth Sports (NYS).
After several years of coaching the 13-14 Pony Baseball teams for NYS, he
turned to coaching softball when Randi began playing. In 1986, his 12
& Under team took third place in the state in Class “B” ASA softball. He later served as an
assistant coach for the Boulder Flyers competitive teams until Randi went on to
pitch in college.
Biff returned to coaching baseball for NYS in
1988 when Michael began playing, and continued to coach his son’s teams,
including 12 & Under All-Stars and 13-14 Competitive Teams, through 1996.
He also returned to coaching softball when Katie began playing in 1995,
and reestablished the competitive softball program for NYS, known as the Niwot
Thunder, in 1999.
Biff grew up in Creighton, Nebraska, where he
played baseball from PeeWees through American Legion. His favorite player
was Ernie Banks, so Biff played shortstop and first base as a youth before
becoming a catcher for the first time as an 18-year old. In 1983, his
wife Susan sent him to play with Ernie Banks and other members of the 1969
Chicago Cubs as a participant in the first-ever Fantasy Baseball Camp in Scottsdale,
Arizona.
After playing fast pitch and slow-pitch
softball for many years, Biff returned to the baseball diamond in 2000, playing
for the Mudhens for four years in the 38+ Division of MSBL before a torn
Achilles tendon ended his playing career in 2003.
Biff has been a board member of Niwot
Baseball, Inc., the summer baseball organization for Niwot High players, since
1981 when it was founded by Coach Bob Bote. Biff also served as President
of Niwot Youth Sports from 1983 through 1985 and from 1990 through 2000, and as
NYS Baseball Director from 1987 through 1996.
In his other life, Biff is an attorney with
Warren, Carlson & Moore, LLP, in Niwot, Colorado where he has practiced law
since 1975. He also serves as Managing Editor and Sports Editor for the Left Hand Valley Courier, a monthly newspaper
serving the Niwot-Gunbarrel-South Longmont area, which he helped found in 1997.
He and Susan have three grandchildren, Jordan ,Jenna and Jessica Willemsen. All of them are Cubs fans.
