Sophomore forward Brady Coddington takes particular pride in pulling on a Griffith jersey.
Both of his parents, Mike and Holly, played sports at the school. Coddington especially draws inspiration from his cousins: Cameron Starks, a 2019 graduate; Ethan Starks, a 2021 graduate; and Logan Starks, a 2023 graduate, are former soccer standouts for the Panthers. Cameron and Ethan Starks later played at Indiana Northwest, and Logan Starks is an assistant on Griffith’s staff.
“I’ve grown up watching them play,” Coddington said. “Seeing them play, what they’ve accomplished on this field, it makes me want to follow in their footsteps.”
Coddington is well on his way. He had a team-high five goals and two assists for the Panthers (3-4-1, 2-0) entering their Greater South Shore Conference game against Bishop Noll on Tuesday. Griffith already surpassed its record from last season, when the team won only one game, and the 6-foot, 150-pounder has been a key reason.
“Brady is that brand of athlete who has great size, has great pace, good on the ball,” Griffith coach Dave Lopez said. “If he played soccer on a regular basis, if he played club soccer like every other kid we compete against at the varsity level, he’d easily be on coaches’ radars collegiately, and I’ve said it to him. He’s that brand of kid. He impacts matches.
“He’s dangerous. If he gets in and around that box, he isn’t going to miss many opportunities. But he’s been plagued with injuries. He gets beat up because he’s skillful and on the ball regularly. But when you talk about size, strength, skill, vision, the guy has it, and he’s just a sophomore. If we can keep him healthy, it’s going to be endless for the kid.”
Coddington has dealt with cramping and assorted bumps and bruises this season. But that’s still comparatively better than what he experienced as a freshman, when he missed a handful of games early in the season with Lyme disease. Coddington still started most of the varsity games and won the MVP award for the junior varsity team.
“I’ve definitely improved my stamina from last year,” he said. “Last year, that was my weak point. And I’m not getting as frustrated.”
In part to improve his conditioning, Coddington ran track in the spring, competing in the 200- and 400-meter runs. He also enjoys playing basketball.
Lopez, in his first season as coach after serving as an assistant last year, appreciates Coddington as a “throwback.” Lopez was a multisport standout for the Panthers, including in soccer and football, before graduating in 1999.
“He is a generational Griffith kid,” Lopez said of Coddington. “When I say Griffith kid, I’m a Griffith guy, and not only did you play your sport, but you were in town playing everything — basketball, baseball — and Brady’s the same way. He’s in town, he’s riding his bike, he’s everywhere. It’s that old-school mentality, like, ‘Hey, I’m going to compete. I have the confidence that I can win almost anything I step into.’
“Brady’s entire family, they’re Griffith folks. His mom and dad went to Griffith. I went to school with both of them. His aunt and uncle, great friends of mine, quality athletes at Griffith. It’s a generational family, and he’s the next one to come through.”
Coddington is making his mark.
“It’s great to see his mindset change into, ‘Hey, I’m not a kid anymore. I can actually play the game well,’” Lopez said. “The kid doesn’t lack confidence, which is why as a sophomore and even as a freshman, he contributed on the varsity pitch.”
Sophomore midfielder Adam Cano — whose “engine is unbelievable,” according to Lopez, and who recently was selected as a captain with junior midfielder Jake Zielke — has a history of working well with Coddington.
“He’s one of the best players we have,” Cano said of Coddington. “He’s definitely great with the ball. If I do send the ball to his feet, he can do a lot with it. He has a great shot.”
Griffith has only two seniors on its roster, and both come off the bench. With a young team, sophomores such as Coddington and Cano give the Panthers reason for optimism as they try to challenge for a conference title and more.
“That’s the heart and soul, between those two,” Lopez said. “We’re going to continue to compete with everybody this year, and we’ve made a pretty good statement that they’re going to have their hands full with us next year. We’re trying to build a culture where the program can be sustainable not just for the next two years.
“But these guys are model athletes for the town of Griffith, for Griffith High School. These guys are what we want our younger generations to look up to and strive toward. These are two classic Griffith High School guys, which is what we’re trying to build around. Not only are they quality athletes on the field, but they’re great students and even better human beings.”
