2005-06 Panther Softball Coaches

Jeff Boardman
Head Coach

Jeff Boardman is entering his first year as the head softball coach at Purdue North Central.

Prior to his arrival at PNC, Boardman served as the head coach at the Calumet College of St. Joseph, a fellow Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference member for two seasons.

While at Calumet, Boardman inherited a program of only seven players and doubled the roster after one season. In just one year's time, Boardman led the Crimson Wave program to a competitive level they had never experienced before.

Before entering the college ranks, Boardman had coached various levels of softball for 20 years, including many summer travel "A" teams with present assistant coach Denny King.

Boardman, who resides in Wheeler with his wife of 33 years ( Lynn ) and has two grown daughters. Boardman and his youngest daughter, Jenn (20), an all-conference pitcher in high school, provide private lessons in both hitting and pitching. Boardman's older daughter, Amanda (25), was also an all-conference pitcher in high school.

While not coaching, Boardman's favorite hobby is golfing.

Denny King
Assistant Coach

Denny King enters his fifth year as an assistant coach after helping found the program with PNC's first head softball coach, Gil Arzola, and current assistant Jim Brocksmith. King serves as a recruiting coordinator and first base coach for the Panthers.

King has been around softball for over 16 years, beginning as a travel coach for some of the best teams in Northwest Indiana . He was a coach for the Indiana Bulldogs for a number of years and has coached several all-state players, one Miss Softball and two All-Americans. King and Arzola joined forces several years ago to coach the 23 and under Bulldogs that finished 5 th in the nation in 2002.

King, age 55 and a retired chemist, is married and has one daughter, Kristen, who is pursuing an education degree at Purdue Calumet.

Jim Brocksmith
Assistant Coach

Jim Brocksmith begins his fifth year as an assistant coach at PNC after also helping found the Panther program under PNC's first head softball coach, Gil Arzola, and current assistant Denny King.

Brocksmith has long been involved in youth athletics and has coached for 16 years overall. He was the junior varsity coach at Wheeler High School and assisted Arzola in leading the varsity program to three straight winning seasons, including a sectional championship appearance. Brocksmith was also very active in beginning youth programs for the Wheeler area.

Brocksmith is co-owner of Katie's Potato Chips and umpires high school and travel team games. He is married and has two daughters.

Greg Kunz
Assistant Coach

Greg Kunz enters his first year as an assistant coach at Purdue North Central and third year of coaching at the collegiate level.

Kunz previously assisted current head coach Jeff Boardman at Calumet College of St. Joseph for the past two seasons and also served as the Valparaiso High School junior varsity coach in 2004.

Kunz has coached multiple youth and adult sports over the past 19 years. For the past 14 years he has been involved in softball at both the youth and adult level. Besides coaching softball, Kunz was a line coach for an Italian professional football team, and has officiated football, softball and volleyball since 1990.

Kunz moved to northwest, Indiana in 2001 after residing in Virginia and Sicily, Italy for 17 years. He is a manager at Mittal Steel, U.S.A. in East Chicago, IN. Kunz is married and has two grown children.