Football
Friday, November 8, 2024
Coach David Marston Resigns as Lawrence Co Head Football Coach
Today, November 8, 2024, I am resigning as Head Football Coach of the Lawrence County Wildcats. After 35 years on the sidelines, I believe it is time to hand it off to someone else. That is 14 years as an assistant coach, and 21 years as the head coach. I believe I have been on the sideline for 362 consecutive games. I have never missed a game, and I can count the number of practices missed on one hand.
It is time for me to spend time with my family - my wife Joan, my parents Raymond and Betty, my grandsons Pace and Arthur, my daughters Rachel and Sarah, and my son, Jack. It has been a great privilege to coach my son these past three years. It has also been a privilege to coach all the fine young men who have worn the purple and gold, and to coach one fine, young lady!
My best estimate is between 350 and 400 young people have come through our program. I hope they learned as much from me as I have from them. Football is the greatest team sport around, in my opinion. So many lessons about life: teamwork, commitment, sacrifice, overcoming adversity, getting knocked down, and getting back up to go to work again. The victories are wonderful, and the defeats gut-wrenching; however, it is what teaches us character, empathy, and understanding.
I want to thank the outstanding principals I have worked for. None of these ever drew up a play or defense to show me. None ever tried to interfere with players or playing time: Mickey Dunn, Michael Adkins, Brian Porter, and Willie Joiner. I have had the privilege to work for two outstanding athletic directors who always had my back, Jon Weathers and Matt Calvert.
Thanks to the head coaches I worked under: Dan Winfree, Garner Ezell, Keith Wray, and Barry Laxson. All are fine men and excellent football coaches. I gained knowledge from all of them.
I want to thank all the former and current Wildcats. It thrills us as coaches to see your successes in life. I would like to give a special thanks to all the assistant coaches I have worked with. There are too many to name. The current LCHS coaching staff - I wouldn’t trade those guys for any coaches anywhere. There are five coaches that played for me: Nathan Hartsfield when I was the DC, Phillip Gowen, Garrick Barnett, Charles Sweeton, Trevor McAnally after I became HC. Charlie Deason and Mike James have been on the staff since 1993. Chuck Holt has been on staff since 2006, Daniel Beasley since 2007, and Wes Brown, who started in the fall of 2022.
There are so many people who make Friday nights possible: the chain gang, scoreboard operator, and play clock operator. A special thanks to the P.A. announcer Russ Brewer, who has been helping over twenty years.
Also, a very special thanks to Mary Ann Golden, Debra Thigpen, and Sherry Tittle who have been taking care of tickets longer than I’ve been head coach!
Luke Bryan has a song that says…”I believe most Friday nights look better under neon or stadium lights.” Kenny Chesney sings of “wearing those game day jerseys down the hall and the boys of fall.” To quote Jimmy Buffett: “It’s been a lovely cruise. Thank you for having me on your ship.” GO WILDCATS!
Respectfully,
David Marston
It is time for me to spend time with my family - my wife Joan, my parents Raymond and Betty, my grandsons Pace and Arthur, my daughters Rachel and Sarah, and my son, Jack. It has been a great privilege to coach my son these past three years. It has also been a privilege to coach all the fine young men who have worn the purple and gold, and to coach one fine, young lady!
My best estimate is between 350 and 400 young people have come through our program. I hope they learned as much from me as I have from them. Football is the greatest team sport around, in my opinion. So many lessons about life: teamwork, commitment, sacrifice, overcoming adversity, getting knocked down, and getting back up to go to work again. The victories are wonderful, and the defeats gut-wrenching; however, it is what teaches us character, empathy, and understanding.
I want to thank the outstanding principals I have worked for. None of these ever drew up a play or defense to show me. None ever tried to interfere with players or playing time: Mickey Dunn, Michael Adkins, Brian Porter, and Willie Joiner. I have had the privilege to work for two outstanding athletic directors who always had my back, Jon Weathers and Matt Calvert.
Thanks to the head coaches I worked under: Dan Winfree, Garner Ezell, Keith Wray, and Barry Laxson. All are fine men and excellent football coaches. I gained knowledge from all of them.
I want to thank all the former and current Wildcats. It thrills us as coaches to see your successes in life. I would like to give a special thanks to all the assistant coaches I have worked with. There are too many to name. The current LCHS coaching staff - I wouldn’t trade those guys for any coaches anywhere. There are five coaches that played for me: Nathan Hartsfield when I was the DC, Phillip Gowen, Garrick Barnett, Charles Sweeton, Trevor McAnally after I became HC. Charlie Deason and Mike James have been on the staff since 1993. Chuck Holt has been on staff since 2006, Daniel Beasley since 2007, and Wes Brown, who started in the fall of 2022.
There are so many people who make Friday nights possible: the chain gang, scoreboard operator, and play clock operator. A special thanks to the P.A. announcer Russ Brewer, who has been helping over twenty years.
Also, a very special thanks to Mary Ann Golden, Debra Thigpen, and Sherry Tittle who have been taking care of tickets longer than I’ve been head coach!
Luke Bryan has a song that says…”I believe most Friday nights look better under neon or stadium lights.” Kenny Chesney sings of “wearing those game day jerseys down the hall and the boys of fall.” To quote Jimmy Buffett: “It’s been a lovely cruise. Thank you for having me on your ship.” GO WILDCATS!
Respectfully,
David Marston
