Like father, like son

KAPLAN - A strange dichotomy has taken place in the Brodie family. A few years ago, dad Craig Brodie was head coach at Berwick, and his son Cory was one of his assistant coaches.
Now, as the Kaplan Pirates get ready for the 2021 football season, Cory, 30, takes over the Pirate program as head coach while dad, Craig, who’s 60, is one of the younger Brodie’s assistants coaches.
So how does the pupil become the teacher and the teacher the pupil?
“It’s not really like that,” Cory Brodie said. “I have to remind him sometimes that I’m the boss. Okay, I’m joking about that. But it’s been interesting.
“He’s been great. He asks me what I want out of him, and I let him know, and he does exactly what I want. And you can see the changes in the defense.
“But it’s interesting being his boss for three hours a day, but we go back to our relationship after practice.”
Technically, the younger Brodie is correct about him being the boss for a couple of hours a day. But the older Brodie is also taking over as athletic director at Kaplan, so Craig Brodie is still the boss in some ways.
“That’s humorous to me,” the younger Brodie said.
The elder Brodie always knew that his youngest son was going to be a football coach.
“It all started back when he was four years old, and we diagramed plays at the kitchen table,” Craig Brodie said. “I knew then that he was going to be ahead football coach one day. I was just surprised that it took this long for him to get a head coaching job.”
The elder Brodie said that his son knows all about his coaching style from way back.
“I coached him in high school (at Catholic High), so he knows my style,” Craig Brodie said. “He’s very goal-oriented and has been prepping for this moment for a long time.
“It’s in his blood, that’s for sure.”
The elder Brodie also got a chance to coach with his eldest son, Craig Jr. at Berwick as well.”
Craig Brodie says that for now, his main role, in addition to coaching defense at Kaplan, is to be a sounding board for his youngest son.
“He’s got a guy that has been there before and can talk to him behind closed doors as to how things work and how they are,” Craig Brodie said.
And if that doesn’t work, the younger Brodie also can go talk to his uncle, former Kaplan head football coach Brent Indest.
“I’ve got a wealth of football knowledge between them to rely on,” Cory Brodie said.
As for now, both father and son are happy with the juxtaposition.
“It’s good having him here,” Cory Brodie said. “I can count on him to help me grow as a person and a coach.”