When discussions happen years from how about the first great
student-athletes to come out of Veterans High School, Malik Broughton is sure
to be mentioned more than once.
Whether it’s as a state participant in track and field (high
jump) or basketball, or on the football field, Broughton has a long list of
Warhawk accomplishments. It’s in football that the 6-6 wide receiver will
continue his legacy as, on National Signing Day, he was joined by family in
filling out a letter-of-intent with Albany State University.
“We went down to the campus, and we really liked the
coaches, and I think I’ll have a lot of time to get on the field early,” said
Broughton, the son of Barbara and Luther Broughton. “They seem like they really
like me.”
“He’s an outstanding athlete,” said head coach David Bruce.
“He’s what you call and old throw-back type athlete playing a lot of different
sports.”
Broughton described his experience under Bruce as one that
made him tougher, stronger and faster.
“I’m better at catching now,” he said. “I have a lot of
friends on the field. My wide receiver coach, coach Washington, helped me with
all (the techniques). For me, the hardest thing was getting used to the weight
lifting.”
And getting used to Bruce getting in his ear time and time
again, probably.
“He motivates us a lot out there,” said Broughton. “He’s
kind of inspirational.”
Bruce said Broughton matured greatly in three years and
committed himself to learning the receiver position. Bruce said he is also a
great blocker and uses his hands well.
“(Albany State) is getting a kid who is going to be humble,
will work hard and give his best effort every day,” said Bruce. “He’s the kind
of kid who’s going to represent that program well.”
Veterans just completed its third football season. Broughton
became a Warhawk in year one as a sophomore, so it was up to him and his
classmates to help establish a brand-new program.
“At first, me and my friends weren’t really too up to it,”
Broughton admitted. “We kind of wanted to go back where we came from. But after
a couple of months we got used to it, and we really liked it after that.”
Now Broughton carries the memories of scoring touchdowns in
a red and white uniform, making the state tournament in basketball as a junior
(and hopefully again now as a senior) and winning region in the high jump.
Broughton admits also that it would be hard to keep up a
multiple sport life in college. He wants to major in business with the goal of
possibly becoming a sports agent. Perhaps he can represent his younger brother
Cortez, who has a Little League World Series appearance in his background as
well as the football and basketball legacy he too is building at Veterans.
“We clash every now and then, but we are normally pretty
cool around the house,” said Broughton, who didn’t get to make the trip to
Williamsport in 2009. “It was amazing (watching Cortez play on TV). I think
he’s going to go somewhere big.”
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