Please keep Jim Marshall, his wife Merry, daughter Brittanny, and granddaughter Lexi in your prayers. Coach Marshall’s son Cody, 20, passed away suddenly Tuesday.
For those of you who don’t know Jim, he is a St. Louis native who ran for MTCCCA Hall of Fame Coaches: Bill Wirtz at Ritenor High and Richard Clark at Southwest Missouri State before becoming a MTCCCA Hall of Famer himself. He began his coaching career at North Callaway HS in Kingdom City before taking over for David Harris at Jefferson City High School as Head XC Coach and track distance coach from 1985 to 2010. He retired in 2010 but not for long as he joined Westminster College in Fulton as assistant XC coach to Dave Tobey and head Track and Field Coach last year. Coach was inducted into the MTCCCA Hall of fame in 2005 and served as president in 2007. His accomplishments are too numerous to mention at the moment but include 4A XC State Titles in 1994 for the Girls and 1996 for the Boys.
Cody vaulted for a few years at JC but his passion was skate boarding. When Cody was growing up he was often around the team-like a little brother, always wanting to wrestle and play with his “big brothers and sisters”. As Coach put it there were no walls with Cody, and I have to agree. He had no preconceptions. He met you and just started talking to you like a friend he’d always known. In between the wrestling and piggie back rides he’d ask or say things that you’d only expect from somone much older. You’d stop and think, “I’m talking to a kid?” One fall during practice, Athletic Director Larry York (MTCCCA HOF also), came down and pulled coach over to let him know Cody had fallen off of a retaining wall at the babysitters I believe. Cody suffered a head injury but thankfully recovered and had to wear a helmet for an extended period of time. He was always running around meets with that famous helmet.
Coaches have an impact on people and as one of Coach Marshall’s many athletes I can say he’s had a huge impact on mine. I hurt for him and the family and pray God will flood them with love and peace and that they reach out for him.
Please pray for Coach and his family and send him a message if you’d like.
Obituary, info and condolences here:
I’ve set up and email for use in situations that might warrant the support of the Missouri running, xc, track and field community that can be used to forward emails to a person without publishing their email outright. If you’d like to send Coach and the family a message you can send it to this email or use the link above to post a message, or send it to his email if you have it or find it. MOrunningXCandTrackFamily@hotmail.com
Also, if you’d like to send a contribution I’m taking a collection that will be presented to Coach and the family for whatever they deem best, additions to the Jefferson City Skate Park or a plaque, memorial marker, etc.
Chris Auckley
http://www.mtccca.org/hall_of_fame.htm
More sad news came today, as 13 year old Priory student Brandon Hsueh died this morning from injuries sustained Thursday at cross country practice. Hsueh stumbled into traffic while running and was hit by a car. Prayers and thoughts go out to Brandon's family and the Priory family.
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