ATHLETICS
Marshall Edwards: Mentor Extraordinaire
W
BY DON ENGLISH, B OYS AT H L ET IC DI R E CT OR
HETHER COACHING middle school basketball
hope to become like him one day.” There is no greater compliment of modeling
(sixteen years) or boys golf (thirteen years), Marshall Edwards
biblical values than that!
transcends the title of coach! When a local newspaper asked him about being a mentor for life, he stated that it is what gives
Marshall Edwards, an outstanding track athlete at Hillcrest High School and SMU, taught himself how to play golf and then began teaching his son,
him the most joy. “The thing I enjoy the most is helping teach kids what life
Alan, a member of TCA’s first-ever state championship team in 1992. (Another
is really all about. In many cases, a coach can be as influential as a student’s
player on that team was Blake Priest, currently one of Marshall’s assistant
mom and dad. That is why I remain close to the kids I coach and try to lead
coaches.) Coach Edwards not only teaches young men how to play golf but
them in the right direction.” Coach Edwards believes that coaching is much
also exemplifies a leader who prepares the child for the path, not the path for
more than what happens on the scoreboard, although with few losses during
the child. One way Marshall prepares the child is “DTRT” (Do the Right Thing),
his basketball career as well as eight golf state titles (more than any other TCA
and it’s on every royal blue wristband the boy golfers wear. This practical
sport), he loves to win and believes that winning is important. For the record,
reminder and his Tuesday morning meetings discussing biblical examples of
he can quickly recite current details of where most of his former players
character, integrity and living out one’s faith are some of the key ways Coach
are either attending school or which career path they have chosen. Justin
Edwards shares life with his golfers. Will Zalatoris ’14, second-place finisher
Thompson, former TCA and current SMU star, gives credence to this: “Coach
at the Masters this year and arguably TCA’s most famous golfer, exudes his
Edwards became and has remained a mentor for me since graduating from TCA.
appreciation: “Coach Edwards’s coaching record in terms of winning state
The values he displayed and passed on to us are values I still try to improve on
championships and producing players that have gone on to play golf at the
in my own life every day. He has the amazing ability to develop young golfers
collegiate level speaks for itself. That being said, he spends exponentially
by showing them how golf can be a path towards becoming a strong Christian
more time mentoring his players into godly men than he does working with
leader. I can easily say playing golf for Coach Edwards was one of the greatest
them on their golf games. He is a father figure for so many of his players, past
honors in my life.”
and present.” Amy Prideaux, TCA director of admission and more importantly,
Sports—especially amateur sports—are an incredible means of impacting
Marshall’s daughter, agrees: “I’ve always been so impressed by my dad’s golf
the lives of young people. Strong mentors can lead young men and women
handbook and the standards he sets up front! Bottom line, he is a life coach,
to tremendous success on and off the field of play, especially throughout
not just a golf coach. He is often having lunch with or attending the wedding
life’s ups and downs! The saying “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day,
of one of his former players. It’s been a sweet experience working with my
but teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime” is an excellent example
dad and seeing several families coming to TCA for the golf program as well as
of how outstanding mentors like Coach Edwards go the extra mile to teach
interviewing many alums who had my dad as their basketball coach.”
and mentor young athletes how to live successfully on and off the field or
Having known Coach Edwards for nine years, I can say he clearly “gets it”
court. Michael Heidelbaugh, TCA’s most recent state champion, now playing
when it comes to raising boys in the world of athletics. He understands that
for Texas A&M University, says, “While Coach Edwards has been a big influence
being an outstanding mentor requires one to be committed to perfecting one’s
on my golf, he has been a bigger influence on my life. He taught me how to
craft—the X’s and O’s—while simultaneously earning trust to build life-long,
become a man of Christ and how to always do the right thing, regardless of
life-changing relationships. Sports can be a really poor god, but mentors with
the consequences. I am forever grateful for how he has invested in me, and I
a proper perspective, a diligent work ethic and a strong desire to connect with
56 TRINITY TODAY
