Broderick named Saugus High basketball coach

Saugus High football coach Mike Broderick has been jumping from football season to basketball season for the past 14 years, but this winter, at least, the commute will be a little easier.Broderick has been named the new Saugus boys basketball coach, replacing Titus Manderson, who resigned during the off-season. For the past 11 years, Broderick has been the head coach at Arlington High School, where he racked up over 115 career wins and qualified for the state tournament eight times. His postseason accomplishments include one trip to the Division 2 North semifinals and four quarterfinal appearances.This year, the Saugus High teacher will be walking to the gym rather than heading to his car for the trip to Arlington.”I’ve been teaching here for 10 years,” Broderick said. “Now that I have the football job, it kind of made sense (to do his basketball coaching in Saugus). If the opportunity came about to make the move, I figured I would, and luckily for me, it did ? It’s a lot easier to teach and coach in the same building.”Broderick, who lives in Belmont, has been the head football coach at Saugus for the past four years. Last year, he led the Sachems to one of their best seasons in 10 years; they went 7-3. He was named Coach of the Year by both The Item and the Northeastern Conference in 2007.Broderick said Manderson did a great job with the team, qualifying for the tournament two years in a row before just missing it last year.”I’m just hoping to continue with that progress, make them competitive,” he said.Broderick has spent 11 years as a head coach in the Greater Boston League, but now he’ll be testing the waters in the NEC. Ironically, two of his past GBL opponents, Peabody and Revere, will be waiting for him.Broderick said he was told he had the job Wednesday. He had resigned the Arlington job last spring.”I was excited to hear the news,” he said. “The kids are great in Saugus. They give me everything I ask for. They’re hard workers (in football). I don’t see it being any different in the basketball program.”