Wherever Greg Brotherton goes in the football world, he seems to strike the right mix for a Super Bowl championship.
In 1991, while playing as a senior for Jack Welch, he helped the Tigers win a championship as a player. Since then, he has also been on two coaching staffs that won Super Bowls, first at Georgetown in 2000 and then in Ipswich in 2006.
He was the Defensive Coordinator for Ipswich?s Super Bowl champions in 2006, and the last five years, he has been Defensive Coordinator for Lynn English. As of Feb. 15, he is the head coach of Ipswich High football.
It has truly been a football life for Brotherton, a police officer for the City of Lynn. From Ipswich High, he played at Bridgton Academy, Springfield College and Framingham State College. He also played for the Haverhill Highlanders in the semipro New England Football League, where he was a two-time all-star and a team co-captain.
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What is it like to be taking this job with so many big names having held it in the past?
They?re tough acts to follow. Elliott Roundy, Jack Welch, and [predecessor] Ted Flaherty had success when he first came on. I can only do what I know how to do. I feel very proud that I?m back in the program. I grew up in the program.?
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What are some of your memories from your last Ipswich coaching stint?
In 2006, we had a very talented team, with Alex McCarthy, Ryan Gagnon, Steve Phaneuf and Chris Tolios who is on my staff. We didn?t have to do much, they were just outstanding athletes. That season was a lot of fun. They ran the ball hard and played tough defense.
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What have your first days on the job been like?
I was named coach on Friday, and since then it?s been school vacation. I?ll get into the school next week and start meeting with some kids. I?ve got to put a staff together, which I want to do this week. There?s a Boosters meeting the first weekend in March. There?s still a lot of work, even though we just got started and the season doesn?t start until September.
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What are your thoughts in terms of putting together a staff?
I?m going to talk with everyone who?s on the staff now. I don?t know what their plans are on the current staff. I can?t comment on what we?ll do about a staff, but I will talk about everyone who?s been there.
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Have you talked with Ted Flaherty, in terms of getting what you need for the transition?
I?ve worked with Ted before, so I?m very familiar with how he operated. I?ve already watched a ton of film from the last couple of years. I?m trying to evaluate what we can do. It looks like we have some decent athletes. I want to develop an offensive and defensive line. We have some graduations on that side.?
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What are your philosophies behind running a football team?
There are three things I consider that make a football program successful. The first is I want all the kids to make sure they graduate; No. 2 is I want them to be good citizens and good sons to their parents; and No. 3 is I want to compete for a championship every year.
The biggest thing I want these kids to get out of this is to develop a strong work ethic. That?s the biggest thing I learned playing for Jack Welch from 1988-91.
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What will be your first order of business on the field late next summer?
From watching film, and just in general, the things I?ll concentrate on are fundamentals and techniques. I think the teams that are very good at that will be successful. It doesn?t matter what you run on offense and defense. If your kids tackle well, hustle and focus on fundamentals and technique, they?ll be successful. Every new coach will take it back to the beginning to make sure those fundamentals and techniques are being taught properly.
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What are your thoughts on the history of Ipswich football?
There is a long tradition of success. I can?t compare myself to Elliott and Jack, absolutely not. Jack and Steve Hopping were like father figures to me growing up. If I can get the kids to learn a few lessons I learned from them, I?d be thrilled.
Right now, though, I just want to beat North Reading in Game 1. I?ve got to go one game at a time. If you get presumptuous, you don?t prepare for what?s directly in front of you, and I just want to be ready to beat North Reading in Game 1.
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Can you tell us a little bit about your life outside of football?
I live in Lynn, where I am a police officer. My wife, Taryn (McInnis) Brotherton is a police officer in Ipswich and teaches the D.A.R.E. program. We have an 8-month old son, Reid.
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