On May 5, the Fresno Christian Boosters Club announces that Athletic Director and Boys Basketball Coach Jon Penberthy is The Fresno Bee Co-Coach of the Year. This was just one highlight of the Fresno Christian Athletic Awards, which also highlighted that the boys basketball team won 30 games and went to state finals at Selland this season.
“It was definitely a surprise winning coach of the year,” Penberthy said. “It wasn’t expected at all. I am very excited for my coaching staff, they all put in a lot of work and to get recognized like this is a big honor.”
Penberthy grew up here in Fresno and went to FCS for one year in second grade. He has been coaching at FCS since 2014.
He started as the volleyball and basketball coach his first year here. Penberthy is honored to have gotten this award.
Aden Millwee,’25, has been on the basketball team for three years and said Penberthy really deserved this award because of all his hard work. He sees Penberthy as someone who knows what the team is worth and knows how to help them get to the best they can be.
“He believes in us and now there’s something special about the players this year,” Millwee said. “He does that to help us and get better and just look how far he went with that.”
Caleb Schreur, ‘27, has been on the basketball team for two years and knows that Penberthy deserved the award.
“He took our team far, he led us in Christ and he’s really a great coach. He got us in early mornings and on weekends,” Schreur said. “He put in the time.”
Penberthy might look serious on the court, but according to his team he loves to joke with them and hang out having fun while on team trips.
“Everyone sees him on the basketball court as a serious guy, but I feel like on team trips he’s more laid back and chilling,” Millwee said. “He makes some funny jokes when he’s around the guys off the court.”
Penberthy enjoys the competition part of the game, but he especially values the relationship he builds with the team. He still keeps in contact with some of his past players because as he coached them, he built that kind of relationship.
“Mainly it’s the relationships that you build with the student athletes, and I still keep in contact with kids from that first team back in 2014,” Penberthy said. “It’s fun texting them, they’re all getting married and having kids. It’s kind of fun seeing that happen.”
Kamryn Penberthy, ’27, Jon Penberthy’s youngest high school daughter, is very proud that he got the award and knows he puts in the time and effort for the team.
“I know that a lot of the guys really like him as a coach, but also as a person and they not only come to him for coaching but also for life,” Penberthy said. “He puts in a lot of time having a relationship with the boys and putting in the hours.”
Millwee, Schreur and Kamryn Penberthy all agree that Jon Penberthy deserves the Co-Coach of the Year and that he loves the team and puts in all the time he can to make relationships with the team and build up the team.
For more from The Feather Online visit Award night recognizes student athletes or Boys tennis wins Valley Championship.
