Brian Willison

In high school I played goalie for Amherst Knights travel hockey and the Buffalo Junior Sabres. After high school I enrolled at ECC for computer science while still playing hockey. Due to a heavy travel schedule, grades were an issue.

In April 1981, I was hired at a dental laboratory (Great Lakes Dental Technologies), located in Tonawanda, NY. While working at GLDT, I continued playing junior hockey.

In 1982, I took a 2 month leave of absence from GLDT for a free-agent tryout with the Buffalo Sabres. It was a phenomenal experience. That year Phil Housley and Dave Andreychuk were drafted rookies at camp. I had the pleasure of having Gilbert Perreault as my locker-neighbor and roomed with Jacque Cloutier. Scott Bowman was the coach then.

After two weeks in camp, I was sent to the Rochester Americans, and then soon after that to the Atlantic Coast League. As my leave of absence deadline neared, I decided to returned to Great Lakes. I chose not to live life on a bus for minimal pay. At that time, the ACL was similar to the movie Slap Shot.

I continued working at Great Lakes while taking a few night classes @ ECC and in 1988 became a certified dental technician. In 1996 I became a part-time faculty member at the State of New York at Buffalo, School of Dental Medicine’s Orthodontic Department as a Laboratory Instructor. I continue to work at both Great Lakes and UB. I’m presently an Instructor/Technical Specialist at both places. I have been many places around the world teaching the orthodontic lab dental specialty.

In 1985, I married a wonderful woman (Lori) who graduated from Kenmore West High school in 1980. We reside in the Town of Tonawanda. We are presently empty-nesters, having all three kids married and now two grandsons (and counting). I enjoy hockey and have been coaching for many years at different levels. I still coach hockey on a part-time basis as a consultant.

Whenever possible I love to hit the slopes in winter, make my way to the tropics at wintertime, and in the summer can find me on my boat enjoy the water. We are members at the Niagara River Yacht Club, where the boat is docked. I'm planning to retire soon, so I did invest in a Class-A RV that we plan to tool around in soon.

On a sadder note, I lost my father (2012), mother (2020), and brother Doug (2018) who was a former Sweet Home Grad (1983). All of them to cancer. I truly miss them...

I wasn't much into school activities due to my heavy hockey commitments. During freshman year, I did play briefly for the varsity hockey team at Sweet Home.
I do remember hanging with Jim Santamauro, Dwayne Wisbey, Mark Winer, Rich Crooks, John Eagleton, Glen Pawlak, Mark Mazzone and others...
Also, remember being with high school sweet hearts Mary Kae Lockwood and Estelle Papafagos.