Nyssa athletics get new Marshall
Veteran coach tabbed athletic director
By Scott Ford
Argus Observer
Thursday, August 14, 2008 10:29 AM PDT
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| Nyssa athletic director Rollie Marshall looks over some paperwork in this Argus Observer File Photo taken in June. Marshall replaces former athletic director Luke Cleaver. |
Nyssa — Nyssa High School recently promoted Rollie Marshall to the athletic director chair, and Marshall is excited about the move.
Marshall, who hails from Heppner, Ore., has had his hand in athletics for many years as a coach ranging from little league to high school sports.
He has been with Nyssa for the past six seasons where he started out coaching as an assistant with the football and basketball teams and as the head junior varsity softball coach.
Up until last season, he was still coaching two sports each year.
“It is an exciting, natural change for me to go from the coaching side to the athletic director’s side of it,” Marshall said. “I am excited about the change, and I am looking forward to it.”
Marshall has a 20-year history of banking experience behind him, and he said that experience will help him when it comes to running the Nyssa athletic program.
“I was approached by some people after my fifth year here in Nyssa to see if I would be interested in taking some administrative classes and moving down that road into the athletic director’s position,” Marshall said. “It sounded exciting, especially since I have enjoyed sports for so long, and of all the admin (administrative) jobs there are, the athletic director position peaked my interest the most.”
During his time in Heppner, Marshall decided to get into the teaching field and took the classes he needed to get his teaching credentials.
“I have absolutely enjoyed every minute of my time as a teacher,” Marshall said.
As for Bulldog athletics, Marshall feels he has a good grasp on the needs of each program.
“It is a unique opportunity for me being that I have been on the coaching side of things for 20 years,” Marshall said. “I feel I have a good idea of the coaches’ needs and what expectations are and how to balance those things with the current economic state we are in right now.”
A challenge Marshall will face will be the travel expense the school will face with the high cost of fuel.
Marshall said that Eastern Oregon League officials are entertaining the idea of cutting back on games to elevate the burden on the schools.
“I jumped in with both feet and have had to fill a few coaching spots already,” Marshall said. “I worked the current administration, and I feel we left the athletes with coaches, and I feel we can get them some state playoff experience this year.”
Resident wrote on Aug 18, 2008 10:43 AM:
Many people have felt what "Glad for change" had the strength to write. In regards to the comment "your daughter sit the bench?" As with any team, there are those players who are going to be better than another, but this is high school and this is where you LEARN to be better. If you are not played in a position you are trying to excel in, than you are not going to be better. That happened alot these last couple seasons. Alot of parents saw it and did not like it, so we simply told our girls to keep their head up high and do their best....it did not matter what someone else thought. "