PENDLETON — One final knee.
One final song.
Players from across 40 years of Pendleton Heights football gathered on Sunday at the field that bears their long-time beloved coach’s name.
John Broughton, the school’s head football coach for 40 years and athletic director for 30, passed away at age 74 on Tuesday, May 11.
On Sunday — a day before his funeral and burial at Grovelawn Cemetery in Pendleton — a wake of sorts for the mentor of countless students and players took place at the school’s football stadium, John Broughton Field.
Story continues below photos.
A video tribute was set up on a big-screen TV at the concession stand. Broughton’s casket was stationed under a tent at midfield.
Family, friends, former co-workers, opponents and, of course, his players, lined up for three hours to pay their respects, give condolences to the family, and share memories of the coach that led the Arabians to their only two football sectional championships.
He won 226 games as the school’s coach. His victory total placed him 37th on the all-time wins list among Indiana high school football coaches. He led the Arabians to 10 conference titles and two undefeated regular seasons (1989, 1998). He was the Indiana Football All-Star head coach in 1990.
The field was named after him in 2016 and he was inducted to the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Former player Cole Keesling, who played for Broughton from 1989-1992, helped organize a group photo of all the former players who attended Sunday’s visitation.
They gathered near the 50-yard line, and took a knee, as they did after games before Broughton would give his post game talk. Also, as they did after each game, win or lose, they sang the school song together for a final time.
“He means so much to so many people,” Keesling said, voice cracking with emotion. “He changed lives. He believed in people. He made us a family, and you felt like you were part of something that was bigger than just a football team.
“He cared and you could tell. He could yell at you and scream at you, but you knew that he loved you.”
Keesling said players were there from each of Broughton’s 40 years.
And they came from as far away as Orlando.
Matt Shaffer, who played from 1985-88, made the drive north from his Florida home to pay respects to a man he said was just like family.
“The thing about coach Broughton that really separated him from other coaches, there were a lot of things he could have done differently if he felt like winning was his only priority,” Shaffer said. “We worked hard to win and it was the objective, but I think his ultimate priority was to make us better people. That’s probably why you will see 40 years of (players) coming back, as many that can make it.”
Gerry Shelby, 82, was an assistant to Broughton for 20 years and coached and taught at the school from 1964-2005. After retiring he still helped out his former head coach by being a bus driver for the athletic department.
“It was a fun place to be, and he made it that way. He will be missed terribly,” Shelby said.
Keesling said he wanted to get the former players and coaches together for a photo to give to Broughton’s widow, Connie.
And, he wanted to give a final tribute to the coach that meant so much to him and many other Arabians.
“We sang the school song, win or lose,” Keesling said. “It was always special. I just wanted to do it one more time.”
