Done deal

Ardmore May 13, 2008 01:06 pm

— Over the course of his 19 years as head coach of the Ada High football team, Larry McBroom guided the Cougars into many memorable gridiron battles against old rival Ardmore.
The Tigers were among the victims during six of the seven state championship seasons McBroom engineered.
So after many weeks of speculation, many jaws dropped in Ada, Ardmore and throughout the state when McBroom was officially hired as the new Ardmore head football coach and co-athletic director during a special meeting by the school board last Thursday afternoon at Charles Evans Elementary School in Ardmore.
McBroom, who played quarterback at Ada High and still is among the school’s career leaders in many passing categories, admitted that many Cougar supporters were probably surprised with the news spread into southeastern Oklahoma. McBroom replaced Mike Lloyd, who moved to Florida to coach there.
“They’ll be shocked first off. I’m sure they’ll be shocked,” he said. “But I think they will also be excited. They understand our heart, and that we just want to try to help young people. There are young people who need to be loved, who need to be disciplined and need to be encouraged all over the world. I’ve had the privilege of coaching now in four different places. This will be the fifth. We’re looking forward to it. I think former players will be excited about the opportunity we have to be back in Oklahoma.”
McBroom is back in the Sooner State after a two-year stint at Carrollton R.L. Turner High School near Dallas. Yes, back in Oklahoma. But back home? Not so much.
“Ada’s always going to be home. But now I have the privilege of serving the kids and young people here at Ardmore,” he said. “We were here for quite a few years with Ada. We were very blessed to have that privilege and opportunity. This is kind of a new stage in our life and we’re really looking forward to it.”
The McBroom family (his father Craig McBroom is a coaching legend, who guided Ada to six state titles while brother Gary is credited with one championship) is spent decades in helping lead Ada to an overall 44-36-2 series record against Ardmore. Now, Larry McBroom will try to make the ‘L’ side of that column increase. After compiling 199 victories while at Ada, ironically McBroom will seek his first victory as Ardmore’s head man when the Cougars visit Noble Stadium Sept. 5.
“I don’t know who we play in that first game,” McBroom deadpanned when asked about the 2008 season opener. “I’m kidding. It’s going to be a different look. Certainly it’s something we’ll be looking forward too and prepared for.”
While Ada holds the state record for most championships with 19, Ardmore is certainly no postseason slouch. The Tigers have won five state titles (1953, 1957, 1982, 1990, 1992), but like Ada, are hungry for another with its last championship run coming 16 years ago.
“We’re very, very excited because Ardmore has great tradition. They not only put quality players on the field, but usually have a few that go on to the next level. It’s an outstanding program,” McBroom said.
In another strange twist to the story, it was another former Adan that informed McBroom of the job opening in Ardmore.
“I’ve been thinking about (returning to Oklahoma) since last fall,” he said. “We looked at a couple of things in the winter, but determined at that time we would stay in Texas. When the Ardmore job opened up, I didn’t know it was open. A great friend and a former player, Brent Whitson called me, and told me about it. Then, (my family) thought and prayed long and hard, and it was something we should check out. And I guess you could say the rest is history. The only reason we went to Texas the second time was to complete being vested in the (Texas) retirement system”
McBroom left for Weatherford Texas after leaving Ada in 1995 and returned to coach the Cougars from 2000 to 2003. He then headed south of the board again and spent two years at Mount Pleasant before heading to R.L. Turner.
McBroom hopes have more of an impact on Ardmore’s football team that just on the scoreboard.
“The most important thing we hope to accomplish is to have the privilege of helping young people become better people,” McBroom said. “That’s what high school athletics are all about, first and foremost — helping them to develop a mindset of excellence, and that of course is taking their God-given talent and developing it to the fullest so they can be the very, very best they can be. That is foremost what we hope to do. We hope to do that athletically, as well, and get to be a part of young peoples’ lives. I can’t think of anything more exciting or rewarding than to having a chance to be a part of young peoples’ lives.”
McBroom realizes he may not be welcomed with open arms by all Ardmore fans just yet because of his strong ties to Ada.
“I’m sure that’s going to be there for a while,” he said. “But I think once people see that we have a love and a passion for young men and women, it doesn’t matter what town they’ve grown up in. We just want to help young people. That’s our focus and passion. There’s young men and women who need to be loved, encouraged and disciplined. That’s what we’re going to be given the opportunity to do here. I think once people see that, I think they’ll be okay with it.”
McBroom, who wasn’t among the applicants to replace Steve Dean as Ada’s new head coach, applauded the hiring of Matt Weber from Marlow to take over the storied Cougar football program.
“Matt is a great, great hire. I think he’s an outstanding coach and even a more outstanding person. I think by having he and his dad (Joe Weber) ... along with Don Byrd — what an incredible group of guys that is,” he said.
McBroom said his brother Gary, who has been with him during his Texas two-step, could join his coaching staff at Ardmore.
“He hasn’t decided what he’s going to do at this time. We’re certainly going to talk to him about the possibility of coming here,” he said.

Photos

Larry McBroom, who led Ada to 199 victories and seven state championships, was hired by one of the Cougars biggest rivals -— the Ardmore Tigers — last week.