Leon L. Brogden, Sr. was born August 26, 1910 in Wake County, NC. He attended Wake Forest College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Medicine in 1932. Brogden coached three sports throughout a great portion of his long and storied coaching career. He began his career as a head coach in football, basketball, and baseball at Edenton High School (1934-1935), before moving to Wilson High from 1936-1944. From 1945 through 1968, he coached at Wilmington High, later named New Hanover. While coaching at New Hanover, Brogden ran up a most impressive basketball record, winning eight state championships in that sport. His football teams also earned a state crown and three of his baseball teams won state titles. From 1969 until his retirement in 1976, he was athletic director of the New Hanover County school system. Brogden was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1970 and into the Wake Forest University Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.