Broughton brings experience to PG bench
By Taylor Howsmon
Jan 27, 2012, 14:12
PRINCE GEORGE — Anyone who has watched the Prince George Lady Royals this season knows the team is good. The 17-1 start is the best in school history and many things are different about this season's team — things that have contributed to the bulk of its success. Everyone knows about the new faces on the court that have made a difference, but it is a new face on the sideline that has had a very profound impact on the program.
First-year assistant coach Ray Broughton hasn’t just come in and helped the team and head coach Billy Gray. He has brought with him a wealth of experience and a tough-minded philosophy that has helped the club exponentially.
“If there is one thing I want the players and other coaches to take from me it, is a mental and physical toughness and an attention to detail,” Broughton said. “It all starts with defense ... I want the girls to be excited about playing defense and you can see they are on the court ... It is fun to watch.”
Broughton’s toughness and attention to detail comes from his background, both on the football field and in the military. Chief Warrant Officer Ray Broughton grew up playing football and basketball in Florida. He went to Alabama State to play linebacker, and through his time in the Army, he has played and coached. Sports are in his DNA. His passion and excitement for the game has brought a whole new personality to Prince George girls basketball, a personality that has them looking like one of the best teams in the region.
“He has a deep deep passion and love for the game like I do. This is the first team I’ve had that can play the defense he and I wanted to run ...," Prince George head coach Billy Gray said. "He does everything I need him to do and the kids have so much respect for him.”
Although this is his first year with Prince George, he's no stranger to coaching. He coached teams throughout his time in the military and was the head coach of the Kadena Falcons on Okinawa Island, Japan in 2010 and 2011. The team took on high school teams from all over the Far East. While he had to overcome some differences in the international game, his team was the Far East champion in 2010 and finished third in 2011 before he returned to the states. The experience was unique, but Broughton said he continued to tell himself that it was the same game that he loved.
In the summer of 2011, Broughton and his family returned to the United States and he was stationed at Fort Lee. After bringing his daughter, Prince George guard Zana Weatherspoon, to an open gym, Broughton volunteered to assist Billy Gray in coaching the Lady Royals. When the two coaches first talked, Broughton told the coach that his philosophy was to play defense first. Gray asked Broughton to draw up some traps and presses, and the military officer was prepared. Broughton was added to the staff and those same presses and traps have blended well with Gray’s coaching tendencies. The off-the-court relationship between the coaches has a lot to do with the success on the floor.
“This situation could have been very different. He could have been territorial and it would have been difficult,” Broughton said. “But instead he welcomed me with open arms. I feel comfortable as a coach and it makes it fun for me to coach and for the girls to learn.”
The camaraderie of the coaching staff has been a big part of the camaraderie the team has on the floor.
“Ray has my trust and we get along very well,” Gray said. “Ray knows what he is doing and that lifts so much pressure off of me ... Having him and his experience is the greatest thing that could have happened to me when it comes to an assistant coach.”
Of course, as appreciative as Gray and the program are to have Broughton, he is equally glad to be there. This year's team is one of the most talented Prince George High School has ever had. And with only two seniors in the normal rotation, the Royals will only get better as the years go by. Broughton said he hit the jackpot.
“I couldn’t have picked a better situation to be put in ... It’s a blessing,” he said. “I was just bringing my daughter to an open gym. I had no idea what I was getting in to ... This team makes my job easy and it’s fun to be a part of it.”
