Marcus bound

After graduation, Marshall still loved wrestling. She wanted to coach instead of competing and found her first opportunity at North Central College where she got her master’s degree.

She began searching for a head coach spot at the high school level, due to the lack of female coaches.

“There are thousands of kids, young women, who need someone to look up to in that [level],” Marshall said. “Most people have to have someone that has been there to look up to. It’s important seeing someone where you want to be and knowing ‘Hey she did it so can I.’”

But the job search brought its own challenges.

“It’s hard for people to associate you with something that’s so manly,” Marshall said. “So when you give a woman that type of authority in that manly figure, it’s hard for people to really digest what you’re trying to do and support you.”

Marshall’s biggest inspiration to keep fighting these stereotypes were her parents.

“My parents have always taught me no matter what your goal is, don’t be afraid to go out there and work for it,” Marshall said. “If you work for it you’re proving that you deserve it and no one can take that away from you.”

At that same time, the school was looking for a new girls coach. With the chance to come back to the same district where it all started, Marshall accepted the job.

This is the first year where the female players have their own dedicated coach and class time. Sophomore Kennedy Cagle said this is an advantage for her and her team.

“It was just way harder to learn stuff, but now since we have a girl coach she can show us the moves by doing it,” Cagle said. “She knows how to do it perfectly, so she can show us how to do it the right way.”

Compared to the boys’ wrestling program the girls’ wrestling team is very new, having only existed for three years.

With Marshall as the coach, she plans to spend the next following years carving out a legacy for the program.

“I wanted to establish a culture that is welcoming and family oriented,” Marshall said. “And be something that young women would want to be a part of, and not be scared of or shy away from.”

Senior Juliet Puente said that the program has come a long way from when it first began.

“It was different because we were surrounded by guys and there were only three of us,” Puente said. “It was just an experience for sure, but I’m glad it’s expanding.”

Coming back to where she first discovered her love for wrestling to inspire other young women to do the same means so much to Marshall.

“To be back means everything to me, because I’ve been to many different places and people support [those places],” Marshall said. “But there’s no support like the LISD support.”