University Christian has been home to David Penland his entire life. It’s the only school he attended, K through 12, and much of his time around the place has been spent with the football program in some capacity. He started off by serving as the team’s water boy and team manager for three years, from 1987 through 1989. He then began playing football as a member of the sixth-grade UC team, and he joined the varsity squad in 2000. He was a wide receiver each season until he graduated in 2003, when he headed off to play collegiately at Georgetown College in Kentucky.
There, he played receiver and returned kicks from 2003-2007. Penland then played a season in the Arena Football League, as a member of the Arizona Adrenaline in 2008, before returning to University Christian in 2009. He coached the school’s middle school football program, then joined the varsity staff as wide receivers coach, and he was promoted to head football coach in 2011.
David Penland has enjoyed great success during his career as head coach of the University Christian Fightin’ Christians football program. He has led UC to three state championships in five appearances and has a 114-39 overall record in his 12 seasons at the helm.
But David’s long stay at University Christian – from student and water boy to head football coach – is just one chapter of what has been a true family tradition of Penlands at the school.
According to David, some 25 Penlands have attended UC, including his mother, Debbie, and his father, affectionately known as David ll, who actually served as David’s coach in every one of his seasons of football there. The father now coaches with his son, as his defensive coordinator.
“My dad was the very first Penland to attend University Christian, and he actually coached me every year of me playing football, except for when I left to play in college and in the Arena league,” says David.
In addition to the father and son, David ll and David lll, other Penlands include three uncles, Thad, Matt and Aaron, who all played sports at UC. The latter two went on to play at the University of Nebraska, where they won national championships as members of the Cornhuskers’ 1994 and 1995 teams under head coach Tom Osborne.
Then there’s David’s three sisters and one brother, who all went to University Christian, and there’s five offspring from David’s three uncles who either attend or have attended UC. Add to that eight nieces and nephews, the children of David’s sisters and brother, and you have one big happy family of Penlands at University Christian.
“I tell people that University Christian is one big happy family,” David says.
David and his wife, Ciara, have a son, David lV, who attends UC, and Cooper, the couple’s latest child, who is a newborn.
You can bet he will be the next Penland at University Christian.
