We knew that Marshal was great working with children, as Marshal had also tutored our twin boys in Math. One of my sons struggled with math but was excited for his soccer lessons with Marshal. Before his lessons with Marshal, one of my twins lacked confidence in his athleticism. Marshal’s patience, sense of humor, enthusiasm, and passion for coaching was infectious and boosted his self-confidence in his physical ability, while deepening his interest in the sport. (Marshal wasn’t pushy or hypercompetitive, like many athletic coaches we’ve seen.) Marshal creatively and spontaneously developed new drills that addressed areas my sons were struggling with. He also instilled discipline and life skills by having my boys repeat drills until they acquired the skill. Rather than having my twin blindly run through drills, he explained how the drills related to developing a critical skill. Since we had limited time, Marshal skillfully trained my boys simultaneously.

When my son told me he was eager to join a more competitive team, we agreed that he needed to upgrade his skills quickly. After he assured him that he would follow through with his commitment, I looked into finding a private coach for him. Having watched Marshal play soccer previously, I knew he was a gifted player with a deep understanding of the game. After learning more about his soccer and coaching background, along with his educational background, selecting him to tutor my son was a no-brainer. Since working with Marshal, my son’s passing and dribbling skills have improved considerably. He also seems to understand how to move into open spaces that support his teammates. More importantly, his relaxed, yet disciplined approach engages my son and motivates him to focus during and outside of lessons.