John Haberman, who made his mark in a variety of high school coaching pursuits in Montgomery County, has stepped down as softball coach at Springbrook after 25 seasons and relinquished his duties as assistant football coach and athletic director at Good Counsel.
Haberman made his most indelible mark at Springbrook, where he guided the softball team to a 355-104 record, eight division championships, nine region titles and a 4A state title in his rookie season, 1982. In each of his 25 seasons, the Blue Devils won at least 10 games, including 11-6 this spring.
“He was a wonderful role model,” said Springbrook athletic director Ron Lane. “He always worked hard. But his biggest asset was that he cared so much for the kids.”
Haberman will continue as a health and physical education teacher at Springbrook. According to Lane, he has given up coaching to spend more time with his ailing father who lives in Pittsburgh.
In addition to stints as a track and basketball coach, Haberman coached football for 37 years, most of them as an assistant to Good Counsel’s Bob Milloy. It was Milloy who gave Haberman his first coaching job at Whitman in 1970. When Milloy took over at Springbrook, Haberman became his defensive coordinator and they led the Blue Devils to six state championships. Haberman later became Springbrook’s head coach when Milloy moved to Sherwood. Five years ago, they were reunited at Good Counsel.
“He’s the first guy I called when I came to Good Counsel,” said Milloy. “He’s a good man, a good coach, a great friend, and he’s tremendous with the kids. They love him.”
Haberman entered Penn State as a cross country runner. His high school didn’t offer football. But he was drawn to the sport and in his senior year, walked on to the Penn State football team as a defensive back.
