Published: June 25, 2009 11:34 pm         

Good to be Kings: Father coaches QB in All-Star games

TERRE HAUTE — To Matt King, his high school football career was all about winning, the 6-foot-21/2 left-handed quarterback leading Rockville to back-to-back undefeated seasons and a Class A state-championship game berth in 2007.

But King, who hopes to compete for a job on Indiana State’s quarterback depth chart in the fall, has also been as prolific a passer as the Wabash Valley has seen. His 7,880 career passing yards rank 12th all-time in Indiana.

King, whose roster on the North All-Star team includes a plethora of talented quarterbacks and receivers, expects the defensive units to have their hands full in Saturday’s Wabash Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star Game on Saturday at Terre Haute South.

“I think the offense has an advantage,” King said of the All-Star format. “It’s just to come out and have fun, work together. It’s just fun to come out and play and give one last shot for your high school.”

Making the first of two summer All-Star games — he’ll also play in the Indiana North-South All-Star Game in July — even more special is that his high school coach and father, Herb King, is the head coach for Saturday’s game.

“I’ll have chance to coach Matt in every high school football game he’ll play,” said Herb King, who will be an offensive coordinator for the Indiana All-Star game. “We were excited coming into the summer because it’s a real treat as a coach. I don’t know many people that have had that opportunity. It’s special for us as a family. It’s been neat watching him grow up. I never thought he’d be this kind of athlete. My wife Nancy and I just want him to be the best kid he can possibly be. That’s what high school athletics is all about.”

King is joined on the North roster at quarterback by West Vigo’s Landon Keith as well as Mitch Snyder, who helped the Casey Warriors achieve postseason success in recent years.

All three will be under center during Saturday’s game, and expect to see at least four wide receivers on the field at all times for the North team. King will also lineup alongside talented receivers such as Rockville teammates Aaron Bridge and Robert Clevenger, Terre Haute North’s Billy Sisson and Frank Willis, West Vigo’s Aaron Welch and Lucas Mackey, and Casey’s Aaron Rhoads and Taylor Biggs.

“It’s going to make things fun. He’s a football junkie. It just makes it kind of fun to let him play another position,” Herb King said.

Matt, who will also play baseball at Indiana State, has valued the chance to practice and mingle among some of the Wabash Valley’s best athletes.

“It’s an exciting group. We have a bunch of good players. Hopefully we get a win out of the whole thing,” Matt King said. “It’s fun playing a different position. I think I’ve played it before in practice, but it should be interesting to see what I can do in a game.”

Bridge, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound receiver has changed his college plans to being a preferred walk-on for Indiana State so Saturday won’t be the last time he and King suit up together.

“ISU’s a better fit, closer to home,” said Bridge, who had planned to play at Division III Franklin College. “It should be fun. It’s going to be fun to play with Matt again.”

King also looks at the two All-Star games as a chance to get primed for ISU’s camp to open.

“It’s a good chance to get a good two weeks of football in to get ready for practice at Indiana State,” King said. “It’s fun to get out and play with a lot of guys that you’ve heard about but haven’t really seen play. It’s just fun to come out and compete.”