Tommy Jo “JoJo” Brunelle, Hall of Fame Bio
Tonight my mom was inducted into her high school’s Hall of Fame. Below is her impressive bio. Amazing stuff. I could not be more proud. Congrats Mom!
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Resume of High School / Post-High School Achievement
Tommy Jo “JoJo” (Worden) Brunelle, PT, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
JoJo (Worden) Brunelle excelled as a three sport athlete (basketball, track & field, and volleyball) at PVHS from 1976-1980. She was a member of 3 state championship and 4 district championship basketball teams. In her junior year she led the team in steals and was second in rebounding, receiving all conference and all state honors. In her senior year, she was captain of her team, led her team in rebounds and steals, was second in scoring and received all conference and state honors. She was awarded her teams defensive player award her junior year and received Co-MVP honors her senior year. JoJo also participated on a district championship 440 relay team, setting a district record in the spring of her junior year. While achieving success in athletics, JoJo also excelled in the classroom earning the Salutatorian award for the class of 1980. She also served as a student council and class officer, was a member of the national honor society, and even held the title of homecoming queen.
Following an outstanding career at Pahrump Valley High, JoJo (Worden) Brunelle attended Pacific University (currently NCAA D3, formerly NAIA) in Forest Grove, Oregon. Worden was recruited to the women’s basketball team and was one of two freshmen named to the varsity team in 1980-81. As one of the few PVHS graduates, at that time, to compete at the collegiate level, JoJo immediately earned a spot in the rotation for the Boxers and was among the team leaders in steals and rebounds by the end of the season. She started a handful of games as a freshman, one of very few to do so in the Northwest Conference, and was penciled into a small forward position for her sophomore campaign. Unfortunately, JoJo was unable to continue in the basketball program due to her commitment to pre-medicine (physical therapy) program at Pacific and the need to focus on academics. Following her junior year, JoJo was on of 24 candidates selected for the inclusion in Pacific’s College of Physical Therapy. She graduated from that program in the spring of 1985.
For the past 24 years, JoJo has enjoyed a successful career as a Physical Therapist (she has held licenses in Oregon, Washington and Idaho). In addition to working in the clinical setting at Intermountain Orthopaedics, JoJo has run the Sport Medicine program at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho, for the past five years. Her role with the athletes at the high school has been crucial to the success of the various programs at Bishop Kelly High, the top 4A sports school in Idaho. She also found time to complete her clinical doctorate in physical therapy, through Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, in the spring on 2008.
It is not surprising that JoJo’s direct involvement with the sports, transitioned from athlete to coach following her collegiate career. She has coach basketball at all levels (elementary, junior high, and high school) and won Idaho’s AAU championship in 2002. She also served on the basketball staff at Bishop Kelly under head coach Kelli Lewis-Jay, currently an assistant at Nebraska. While coaching under Lewis-Jay, Brunelle volunteer her sports medicine services to the boys lacrosse team — and she began to recognize the connection between the two sports.
One thing led to another, and JoJo became the Head Coach of Bishop Kelly’s girl’s lacrosse team. She has been at the helm for five seasons and is now the winningest coach at in the storied history of Bishop Kelly High School, in any sport, with a record of 67-13-1 (.827). Her understanding of movement, fundamental athletic skills, teaching, and game strategy, has been key to the development of players in the program. Her program annually fields full junior varsity and varsity teams, with a total of 40 players. Her ability to attract and retain top athletes in the school is another element to the program’s success, which culminated this season with a perfect 19-0 season and a State Championship for the Knight, the second in four years.
JoJo’s entire family is sport-oriented. Her son Jeff recently completed an outstanding collegiate lacrosse career at the University of Oregon, as was named 1st Team All-Northwest as a long-pole defenseman. Daughter Cassie graduated from Bishop Kelly in May following four years of three-sport involvement (volleyball, basketball, lacrosse) and will play NCAA D1 lacrosse at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California. Her husband John was a stand-out athlete and started as quarterback for Pacific University.
Dr. JoJo (Worden) Brunelle is a quality example of a PVHS stand-out athlete who not only went on to excel as a college athlete, but more importantly has continued her career as a coach and medical practioner dedicated to the success and development of student-athletes.
