Brodhead family playing for two titles today

Brodhead family playing for two titles today

Brodhead family playing for two titles today

Brady Aymond • baymond@theadvertiser.com • March 5, 2011

The Associated Press St. Thomas More coach Ashley Brodhead-Richard talks to a referee during a tournament game Thursday. She and her father, Garry Brodhead, both head into title games today.

Today is shaping up to be a very special day for the Brodhead family.

 

At 1 p.m. today, former Teurlings Catholic coach Garry Brodhead and the McNeese State Cowgirls will be playing for its first-ever outright Southland Conference championship in Lake Charles.

At 8:15 p.m. tonight, Brodhead’s daughter — Ashley Brodhead-Richard — will lead the St. Thomas More Lady Cougars in search of its first-ever girls’ basketball state championship."I’m going to definitely do both, God willing," said Andrea Brodhead, who is the wife of Garry and mother of Ashley. "I think we’ll have time to get both games in tomorrow. Garry’s games usually last about two hours and then they talk for about two hours afterward. He’s hoping to be out of the arena by 4 p.m.

"It’s about a 3-hour drive from Lake Charles to Hammond, so we should get there around 7 p.m. or so, which will be plenty of time. Hopefully we’ll be driving happy."But there’s no place the Brodheads would be more comfortable. The first family of basketball in the Acadiana area centers its life around the sport.

From its highly successful Acadiana Stars AAU program in the summer, to their success on the high school level, the Brodheads have been integral in the elevation of girls basketball in the area.To date, the only girls’ state title in the city was won by Brodhead at Teurlings, with Ashley serving as an assistant. Richard and the Cougars are trying to become the second school to win a state title, and Richard is trying to become the second Brodhead to get a ring.

"It kind of makes it all worthwhile," Andrea Brodhead said. "I remember when we won a state championship in 2002 (at Teurlings). We talked about it for a long time, how people think you’re supposed to win, but you have to be good and there’s so many things involved."Sometimes it’s not all about the year you’re working toward. Sometimes you’re putting in years to do that. Whenever Ashley played at STM, they came close a bunch of times. And I remember when Garry won it at Teurlings and she was an assistant she said ‘God never denies, but sometimes he delays.’ She didn’t win it at STM, but she won it with her dad and sister (Blair)."

Besides the potential conference title for McNeese and the state title for STM, it’s also been a special week for the Acadiana Stars.Several of the Stars are playing in the Top 28, with a lot of them playing for state titles on Friday and Saturday."Jennings has five girls on their team that play with us," Andrea Brodhead said. "India Marbs of Avoyelles played on our 16-and-under team with Brooklyn (Arceneaux) and Robbie (Brown). Breanna O’Conner from Ville Platte played with our younger team. Kia (Wilridge) and Keke (Veal) played on our 15-and-under team.

"Notre Dame has three that play with us. And there are five other girls on STM that play with us during the summer. It’s really special because I picked up the paper this morning and there were pictures of four of our Acadiana Stars players in the paper."

Athletic Network Footnote: Garry Brodhead was a member (Pole Vault) of the UL Track & Field Team, 1976-80.