More PrepZone

• PrepZone: Saturday football notebook
• Prep soccer: Nov. 22, 2008
• Prep wrestling: Palmetto Ridge takes second at Oviedo Duals

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Share and Enjoy [?]

On May 27, 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Thomas Broomhead was commander of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle in the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment when his unit was ambushed, and Broomhead was killed.

Earlier this year, Cypress Lake High School announced it would honor its fallen alum by naming its football field after him. The United States honored him with a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

Tonight, the Panthers will hold a dedication ceremony at their game against Golden Gate to remember the sacrifice that Broomhead made.

“Tom hated having the attention focused on him. I know that is a player cliche, but it’s true,” said Mike Broomhead, Thomas’ brother. “He was not the guy that wanted the spotlight, but this kind of honor is the kind of one we would’ve liked.”

While guarding a checkpoint in Fallujah, Tom Broomhead was hit in both legs, suffering an injury to a femoral artery that eventually led to his death.

Before he died, however, he managed to cover his fellow troops and gunned down two of their attackers. He managed to pull himself away from further harm.

Accounts from fellow soldiers who were with him point out that Broomhead was the one trying to keep the scene calm by telling a joke or two before he died.

Bruce Labreche, a former teammate of Broomhead’s, spearheaded the movement to have a monument at the stadium, which will be unveiled. The football stadium will have a fixture displaying a bronze plaque in Broomhead’s honor.

In the spring, Mike Broomhead visited with the Cypress team and talked to them about his brother and what they could learn from his experiences. Before tonight’s game, he will speak to them again at the team dinner.

“Mike came down and spoke to the boys and let them know about how a hero died, and we were excited to have him speak,” Cypress Lake coach Chris Hall said. “It wasn’t the first time that they had heard the story, but hearing it from him was important. That kind of thing is about teaching kids about life.”

That’s precisely the message Mike was trying to convey.

“The same things that people were saying about him as a football player were the same things they were saying about him as a soldier,” Mike said of his brother. “We’re just trying to let them know that the values you learned as a young adult, you carry with you for the rest of your life.”

The personal level at which the story strikes Cypress’ players certainly comes close to home — Hall is quick to point out that a number of alumni from the 1980s are still regulars at games.

While that may figure to add some emotion to the game, Cypress isn’t putting any extra pressure on itself, but maybe taking a little inspiration from Broomhead’s story isn’t out of the question.

“I don’t know if we changed since last week, but on Monday we got after it and I think we learned to play very serious on every play,” said Hall, whose team lost its opener 17-15 to Riverdale. “Certainly, if we eliminate the turnovers and keep their speedsters from breaking long ones, we can keep momentum.”

“They worked hard all week and earned this night,” Mike Broomhead added. “I want them to focus on winning and not feel an obligation to my family.”