Mullins – It has been a while since Marc Lowery has been a high school football head coach. In fact, the one and only time he was one came over 30 years ago at the now defunct Waccamaw Academy in Conway.
That doesn’t mean, however, that Lowery has been away from the game. No, far from it. He’s been on the varsity coaching staffs at several Grand Strand high schools such as Myrtle Beach, Aynor, Conway and Carolina Forest.
For the past several years, he’s been in charge of the football program at Ten Oaks Middle School, one of the feeder programs for Carolina Forest, as well as setting up summer camps for Carolina Forest. Now he is jumping back into the head coaching ranks at the high school level.
The 60-year-old Lowery has been hired as the head coach at Mullins High School.
“I was blessed,” Lowery said. “I saw that the Mullins administration, the athletic director (Myron Gerald) were really looking at me from the first time I put my stuff in. I think they were impressed because of a lot of the stuff I do bring to the table.
“I’m happy with the coaches I already have in place. Hopefully I’ll be able to hire some more coaches. The reception between the players and coaches have been good. The kids are thirsty for things. Change doesn't necessarily need to happen, “
Gerald is excited to see what Lowery can do with the team.
“He brings a wealth of knowledge to the offensive side of the football,” Gerald said. “It’s good to have freshness there on the offensive side. I’ve known him a number of years myself. He'll be a welcomed addition to our staff.”
Lowery, who said he was a finalist for the Carolina Forest and St. James head jobs at different times, is still trying to learn the ins and outs of the sport.
“I’m just a student of the game,” he said. “Still, even at my age, I'm still trying to learn different things about the game.”
Lowery is replacing John Williams, who retired in January after 12 years in charge of the program. The Auctioneers went 1-9 this past season. Williams had a 55-89 career record at his alma mater,
Williams had four winning seasons, three of them coming in succession. The Auctioneers went 6-5 in 2017, 8-2 in 2018 and 7-4 in 2019.
Lowery said the holdover coaches are telling him they sense an excitement in both the players and the community.
“You want to go in and get them to believe in you,” Lowery said. “I told them, ‘You guys don't have any reason to trust me for anything, but we're going to work and turn this thing around.’ “
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