There may be some confusion for those reading this blog. The only point of that confusion is that it may seem like a sports blog. And in a lot of ways, it is.

 

The story, however, is about taking a chance, following your passion, and as one of the two person this is about said, “trusting in God.” It is also about sacrifice, and not necessarily about the person you may initially think this blog is 100 percent about.

 

And we will get to that point further along in this piece. So, without much more commentary, please know that Bridgeport High School has not just a state high school coach of the year on board, but they also now have a national coach of the year on their personnel roster.

 

This week, the National Federation of State High School Associations sent a letter to the 26330 zip code informing a residence there that BHS boys basketball Coach Dave Marshall has been named the organization’s 2024-25 national boys basketball coach of the year. It comes on the heels of him winning the Van Meter Award last year as the top coach in the Mountain State in all sports.

 

The letter mentions the nomination came from the WVSSAC. It is based on the 2024-25 coaching effort of Marshall that saw him help lead the Indians to the school’s third state boys basketball championship.

 

“The letter came in the mail (Thursday). I really had forgotten about being nominated for it after we got the state award and the application process done for the national award … Since then, because of basketball, I never gave it another thought,” said Marshall. “I saw the letterhead and thought I was going to be asked to join a committee or something of that nature, and I nearly tore it up. When I read it, I was humbled.”

 

The first person to know about it was his wife Michele, the person where this blog is going to dive into shortly. Her reaction is what one might expect for someone who has stood by their spouse through the headaches, heartaches, joy, and triumphs that come from anyone willing to dip their toes into the coaching pool.

 

“Michele got teary-eyed. She said that I did it. I told her that it was both of us and that God used both of us for His purposes,” Marshall said. “He’s put me in the path of mentors and great assistants and some many wonderful students, like this year and last year, and every team prior. I guess it’s a lifetime achievement award, but you don’t stick around this long without good kids, and I’ve been blessed with plenty.”

 

The 1985 Liberty High School graduate’s path in coaching goes back 35 years. He started coaching in 1991 as the girls coach at Gore Junior High (Google Junior High if you are not sure what that is) under Principal Bill Montgomery who Marshall still credits for being the right guy to get started under.

 

During that time, the girls season was in the fall and the boys played in the winter. So, Marshall spent time coaching the girls and then joined up as a volunteer assistant at Liberty High to coach with Russ Nutt who was heading the Mountaineers and the boys at that school.

 

The next year, he stayed helping with Nutt at Liberty but became Billy Bennett’s assistant for the girls team at then Washington Irving High School.

 

From there, the next big step came in 1994-95. He got a teaching job at Bridgeport High School and became the girls assistant coach at the same time. Marshall also became the freshman coach for the boys. A year later, he would take over coaching the varsity girls program.

 

Marshall stayed there for years. In 2013, led by senior Miki Glenn, the Indians won the school’s first and only state title by toppling Westside 44-27.

 

Shortly thereafter, Marshall would step down. He would re-emerge as a volunteer assistant at Robert C. Byrd for his friend Billy Bennett once again, this time at the varsity level with the boys.

 

Marshall then returned to fill the spot left when Mike Robey retired. That first year, which was not exactly as anyone planned, was the COVID year.

 

Three and a half decades and multiple stops later, Marshall is the national coach of the year.

 

The thing is – and I know we’ve taken a long time to get here – none of it happens without Michele Marshall.

 

Rewinding to1989, Marshall gets his business administration degree from then Fairmont State College. He goes to work for a finance company and, well, he is miserable at it.

 

Marshall wants to coach. He wants to teach. However, being freshly married, having a child on the way, and other commitments made that decision of dropping out of the work force and going back to school far more difficult than one might imagine.

 

“Financially, me going back to school was going to be difficult, very difficult. Michele and I went to our former pastor’s house, Olen Robertson who sadly passed away this week (Jan. 10), because we needed spiritual guidance,” said Marshall. “He made me feel better about it and that it was something we all agreed I was being called to do.”

 

Even with that, a financial void was coming. Marshall got his RESA certification where he could serve as a substitute and even begin serving as an assistant coach while studying to get his math and teaching certification that would be completed in the spring of 1992.

 

“She was working as a certified public accountant and doing okay, but she took this on knowing so much of the responsibility in those first few years before I began teaching was squarely on her back. She was invested in everything I’ve done since day one,” said Marshall. “The proof, to me, that God opens doors came when she got a job working at the gas company and it helped our financial situation out to where the burden on that end was eased significantly.

 

“While I was studying and then teaching and coaching, from that first day, she’s been the one to fill in as needed for every commitment I’ve had, and they’ve been plenty because that’s what happens when you coach,” said Marshall. “I can’t put into words what she does for me as my wife and as a coach’s wife … coaching is a job in the public eye and there’s pressure because of that on me, the family, and those around us, but she’s been beside me every step of the way.

 

“If you don’t have that person you have total confidence and faith in by your side that you can release everything to, you can’t do it in this business,” Marshall continued. “That award has my name on it, and there should be space for all the coaches, administrators, and so many students I’ve coached. It should have Michele’s name on it, even before mine. She showed me it’s not wrong to chase you passion, and I would advise anyone who has the chance to do it, to do it. You never know how it will turn out.”

 

In this case it turned out well. A few state championships, a lifetime of memories, and the national coach of the year.

 

Congratulations Coach.

 

Editor's Note: Coaching photos from recent years by Joe LaRocca, while group photo shows Marshall with trophy and mentor Billy Bennett on the left  surrounded by the Sickles family. Bottom photo is of Marshall and his wife Michele.