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Haberman retires from coaching

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

John Haberman has become synonymous with Springbrook High athletics in the last 25 years. Though he has coached at various schools during his 37-year Montgomery County coaching tenure, he has spent most of his time with the Blue Devils.

But as passionate as he is about coaching and the success of his student-athletes, family comes first. His family needs him now, so Haberman announced his retirement this week.

Haberman’s father, John, has been in the hospital since Feb. 2. Trips to help his parents, who live just outside Pittsburgh, and full-time coaching became too much to balance for the 59-year-old Haberman, who lives in Gaithersburg and has coached Springbrook softball for the last 25 years.

‘‘I see a need to be more available to my mother and father,” he said. ‘‘I’m sure I’ll miss coaching. ... This spring was just sort of draining trying to balance going up there and running a team. I think in the future they’ll need me more up there. This just seemed like a good time to get out of coaching.”

Haberman’s retirement marks the end of an illustrious career most coaches only dream about. Haberman, who played football at Penn State University under legendary coach Joe Paterno in 1969, his first undefeated season, started his coaching career in 1970. That year, longtime Montgomery County football coach Bob Milloy, then working at Whitman, hired the rookie coach as his assistant. Haberman followed Milloy to Springbrook for the 1974 season and served as assistant coach through Milloy’s 17 years with the Blue Devils.

When Milloy left for Sherwood, Haberman took over as head coach from 1992 to ’97 and posted a 33-29 record. During his time with the Blue Devils, Haberman helped lead them to 10 state tournament appearances and six titles (1979, ’80, ’81, ’85, ’88, ’89). He has spent the last five years under Milloy on the Good Counsel football staff.

Haberman, who has also coached track, rugby and junior varsity boys and girls basketball, began coaching softball at Springbrook in 1982. He won the state title that year and has compiled an astounding 355-104 career record. He has never lost more than 6 games in a season.

‘‘My first year as a head coach was 1970 and I was over at Whitman,” Milloy said. ‘‘John was the first guy to apply. He was the only guy to apply. He had never coached before. ... He is the most caring and generous person. The kids love him. That is his biggest quality. He is very hardworking and he cares about them as people. You can’t fool kids. With John, you’re getting the real deal. There aren’t any mind games. If you played lousy, he’ll tell you. ... If I had a flat tire at 3:30 a.m. and I had only one call left, I’d call John, and he’d come and get me, because that is the type of person he is. And that transpires into all the kids. He is the authentic package.”

Haberman is a commanding presence. He is a perfectionist and can be intimidating. He is hard on his athletes, and he wants things done his way. Yet he is still able to forge a friendship with his athletes and earn their trust.

Coaching became almost a second full-time job for Haberman, a physical education teacher at Springbrook who also acts as assistant athletics director. He devotes an average of six hours a day toward coaching.

‘‘John is a person who puts on a tough façade, but he really cares for the kids,” Springbrook athletics director Ron Lane said. ‘‘He is a heck of a motivator. He can really get these kids to try. ... I watch him with the kids. He handles them all differently. He seems to be able to push the right buttons.”

Though Haberman’s coaching days are over — he is uncertain whether or not he’ll teach and⁄or work as the assistant A.D. next school year — he isn’t ready to say goodbye to Springbrook athletics. He will continue to attend games and cheer on his beloved Blue Devils.

But Lane knows his value to the Springbrook coaching family. And it will be sorely missed.

‘‘What John has been able to get out of these boys and girls is amazing,” Lane said. ‘‘He comes in as a person who is hard, but once you’re around him, you realize he is doing everything he can to get these kids to be successful athletes, successful in life. He is not going to be forgotten for a very, very long time.”

Note: Haberman’s longtime assistant, Lesley Stroot, will assume head coaching role for 2007 softball season.