Arabian Knight

Pendleton Heights football coach and athletic director John Broughton has been with the Arabians for over three decades, coaching 24 All-State players and accumulating more than 180 wins. As HSSTM finds out first-hand, the notable coach shows no signs of slowing down. HSSTM: You're entering your 32nd year as head coach and 34th overall here at Pendleton Heights. That's quite a long time in one place. What's changed the most during your time as coach? Broughton: Everything's changed. The only thing that probably hasn't is that we're running the same offense we did 32 years ago, when we put the Run 'N Shoot offense in. When I put the Run 'N Shoot in, people around here thought I was half nuts because nobody was running it. But I knew it from when I was a quarterback for Hall of Fame coach Pat O'Neil in Lawrenceburg. After he switched us to that offense my junior year, we never lost another game. I saw it work, and totally believed in it. HSSTM: But everything else is different? Broughton: Well, my wife hasn't ever missed a game, so that's still the same. She's a sports nut just like I am and reads the sports page front to back everyday. But the kids have changed. I find kids today not as competitive as they used to be, and I think that's because everything's organized for them. The best rivalries are built because you play against your buddy and you're so competitive, you want to beat him. It's intensity, and I think it's missing sometimes. You almost have to teach or instill competitiveness. HSSTM: What have you found to be most rewarding about being at one school for so long? Broughton: The kids' development. You see these kids come in here, they're little, weak and immature freshmen and you get them in your program. By the time they're juniors and seniors, you look back and you see the development as a person - and I think football is great for that. HSSTM: Talk a little bit about that development. Right now, you're starting Grant Hendershot, a freshman, at quarterback. And you've done that in the past. Do you enjoy grooming young quarterbacks? Broughton: We've had several like Grant. Kyle Tweed, who graduated last year and is the school's all-time passing leader, was relatively the same way, as was Justin Rummell. I know I get criticized for it, because the mindset is you don't mess with a freshman. But I know what's best for this football team. Grant is not the best quarterback on our team - that's Evan Groninger. But Evan's also our best receiver, our best running back and our best returner. So we need him in other positions. It's about knowing your personnel, their strengths, limitations and what is best for the team's future success. HSSTM: You mentioned Justin Rummell, who was a record-setting quarterback here and at Earlham College. He recently had a tryout with the Detroit Lions this past summer. Is it gratifying for you to see your former players succeed at a higher level? Do you feel like you've accomplished something special? Broughton: I always knew they could play at that level. I think some of them are short-changed a little bit by not getting recruited by Division-I schools. Justin is a perfect NFL-type quarterback. Kody LeMond, who plays at Wabash now, and Denny Kimmel, a running back at Anderson, are the same way. But I'm very proud of them and the hard work they put in. You can't imagine how much time they put in. HSSTM: You've won 179 games, through August 31 of this year, 17th most of active coaches in the state. But despite all that success in the regular season and the high caliber players you've had, you have yet to win a sectional title. Does that gnaw at you a little bit? Do you feel like it's missing from your resume? Broughton: No question. It's very frustrating and very difficult. I've been to a championship game five or six times. I really want to win one. It's one of those things where, if it happens, it happens; if it doesn't, then it doesn't. I'd like to win a state championship as well, and we've had teams where if we would have won a sectional, we might have won a state championship. I've had two undefeated regular season teams here, in '89 and '98, but lost a couple close ones right at the end. HSSTM: Do those losses eat at you? Broughton: Oh yeah. I'm not over it until we play again...and then you've got another set of problems to worry about. You get over them once you get to the next one. Some of them hang with you long because of circumstances of the game. At the end of the game, you look back and think about if we would have just made this tackle or completed this pass - that sort of thing. HSSTM: Now in your 21st year as athletic director, do you feel like you've got the routine down pat, because that certainly has to add quite a bit of responsibility to your plate. How are you able to juggle coaching and athletic administration during the football season? Broughton: Two things: First, I work my tail off during the summer. I only take a couple long weekends and work a full schedule, including football conditioning. I'm ahead of the game when school's back in session, very proactive and very organized. Second, I have great help. The secretary, Jane Coyle, has been here longer than me and runs this place. Shari Doud, the girls sports director, does an excellent job, as does Steve Cherry, a retired teacher and official, who takes care of hospitality and officiating. HSSTM: Have you ever thought of giving up one of your jobs? Which one would it be if you had to choose? Broughton: If I had to pick, I'd always be a football coach.