After 40 years with the Penn High School Football program, Hall of Famer Coach Cory Yeoman announced to Kingsmen student-athletes and assistant coaches that he will be retiring as head coach and Penn teacher at the end of this school year.
The Penn Harris Madison school corporation issued the following statement:
In his address to the players and coaches, Coach Yeoman shared, “By far the best thing I have ever done as a coach or as a player is to surround myself with great people. You win with people!
Thousands of people made this journey possible. Thank you to the Yeoman Family; for over 50 Years our Mom, wives and daughters have let us boys play and coach the game we love for the school we love.”
Coach Yeoman went on to say to his players, “I would like to thank the hundreds of tough Kingsmen players in the ‘long black line;’ I am so proud of you. I love you boys! It has been an honor being a member of ‘the long black line.’ It has been an honor to be one of ‘Gees’s boys.’ Go Penn Go!”
Coach Yeoman spent his first 19 years as an Assistant Coach under Hall of Famer Coach Chris Geesman, and the past 21 years as Head Coach. Yeoman took over the Kingsmen program in 2003 and compiled a 208-56 record overall.
In his first season after replacing legendary Coach Geesman, Yeoman guided Penn to the 2003 State Championship Game. Yeoman also led Penn to Semi-state titles in 2017, 2015 and 2011. In addition to winning four Semi-state Championships, the Kingsmen have won nine regional crowns under Yeoman’s
leadership, 13 sectional titles and 18 Northern Indiana Conference championships.
“It’s hard to put into words what Coach Yeoman means to our school community. He’s been a staple of
Penn High School for 40 years, as a student, a teacher, an assistant coach, and as our head football
coach for 21 years,” said Penn Athletic Director Jeff Hart.
“More importantly, his unmatched legacy as a positive leader, mentor, and relationship-builder will be
sorely missed in our building and beyond,” Hart continued. “I’ve been fortunate to work closely with
him for the last several years and I’ve seen up close his unique ability to have great success coaching
with a servant’s heart while building lifelong relationships with staff and students. I’m blessed to call
him a friend.”
Coach Yeoman bleeds black and gold and has always been a Kingsmen. He played for Penn, earning allstate honors at defensive tackle. In 1979, Coach Yeoman led a Kingsmen defense that only allowed 33
yards rushing a game. That Kingsmen team finished 11-1, winning an NIC Championship before losing
to Hobart in the second round of the playoffs. Yeoman graduated from Penn in 1980.
Coach Yeoman is in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame, the first Penn player nominated for the Hall.
“Coach Yeoman is a Kingsmen legend. He learned from the best [Coach Chris Geesman] and became
the best,” said Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker. “Coach is
highly respected across Indiana; and while we’ll miss him coaching on the sidelines, we know that he
won’t be very far from Everwise Freed Field on Friday nights. Once a Kingsmen, always a Kingsmen!”
After his playing career at Penn, coach Yeoman played for Miami (Ohio) University. He was a
roommate and teammate of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning head coach, John Harbaugh.
Yeoman joined the Kingsmen coaching staff after graduation from Miami, and has been on the
Kingsmen sidelines for 40 seasons.
After Penn’s 28-7 victory against the Mishawaka Cavemen on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, Yeoman was
named the Indianapolis Colts Indiana High School Coach of the Week. The victory against the archrival
Cavemen also gave Yeoman his 200th career victory, making him only the second Kingsmen Football
coach to reach that coveted plateau.
Penn is now the only high school in Indiana to have two coaches meet this milestone. The first was
longtime Kingsmen coach Chris Geesman (309 wins), who Coach Yeoman played under and coached
with at the beginning of his career at Penn.
Yeoman is beloved and admired by his players and assistant coaches. He serves as a mentor to Penn
students not only as a coach, but also as a Physical Education and Sports Performance teacher. Yeoman
was also an Industrial Arts Teacher. Coach loves the interactions with students. For years, he’s assisted
with Penn’s Commencements, helping line students up and assisting families whose children are being
honored posthumously. Yeoman once said to a colleague “My favorite time of year is graduation; this
is what it’s all about!”
Coach Yeoman’s last day will come at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Coach looks forward to
spending time with his grandchild, wife and family, and of course cheering for the Kingsmen on Friday
nights.
Penn-Harris-Madison will begin an immediate search for a new Kingsmen Head Football Coach; the
announcement is to be determined at a later date.
