Marshall Jones has stepped down after serving 11 years as Gardena's football coach, Jones confirmed Tuesday.
Jones finished his career with a 59-65-1 record, but was just 2-18 in the last two years and 0-10 in the Marine League during that time.
"I just burned out," Jones said. "I came to the realization that -- as much as I love this job and that this was the only job I've ever wanted -- if I kept going, I'd hate what I was doing. I didn't want to get to that point."
Jones, a Gardena alum, had a pair of second-place finishes in the cutthroat Marine League, including a 2002 semifinal run in the L.A. City Section Championships. He also won a 2000 City Invitational title. He won a Metro League title in his four years at University before Gardena.
Jones said he will remain a P.E. teacher at Gardena because "I still have to pay the bills" and said he will look into whether he wants to continue coaching after a year away.
Jones said he never recovered following his mother's midseason death in 2005.
"It takes a lot of energy and drive to do this job," Jones said. "I thought after that year, I was OK. My life was OK, and I'd dealt with the passing, but recovering that energy has been a problem since then. Ultimatedly I don't feel I was doing the job to the standards I hold for myself."
Jones, 46, said he has been coaching since he was 19 years old and said he felt good about what he was able to accomplish at Gardena.
"I think one way of measuring a program as a coach is to ask whether it is in better shape than when you first took over," Jones said. "In many ways, it is. We've won our share of games, and I think we got the program back to where it is a (upper-division) playoff team is a success.
"To come back to my alma mater and to coach against some of the great coaches in this league has been a great experience. And this has been by far one of the best leagues in the City year in and year out.
"I'm proud of what I've done, but I wish I had the drive to keep going."
Jones finished his career with a 59-65-1 record, but was just 2-18 in the last two years and 0-10 in the Marine League during that time.
"I just burned out," Jones said. "I came to the realization that -- as much as I love this job and that this was the only job I've ever wanted -- if I kept going, I'd hate what I was doing. I didn't want to get to that point."
Jones, a Gardena alum, had a pair of second-place finishes in the cutthroat Marine League, including a 2002 semifinal run in the L.A. City Section Championships. He also won a 2000 City Invitational title. He won a Metro League title in his four years at University before Gardena.
Jones said he will remain a P.E. teacher at Gardena because "I still have to pay the bills" and said he will look into whether he wants to continue coaching after a year away.
Jones said he never recovered following his mother's midseason death in 2005.
"It takes a lot of energy and drive to do this job," Jones said. "I thought after that year, I was OK. My life was OK, and I'd dealt with the passing, but recovering that energy has been a problem since then. Ultimatedly I don't feel I was doing the job to the standards I hold for myself."
Jones, 46, said he has been coaching since he was 19 years old and said he felt good about what he was able to accomplish at Gardena.
"I think one way of measuring a program as a coach is to ask whether it is in better shape than when you first took over," Jones said. "In many ways, it is. We've won our share of games, and I think we got the program back to where it is a (upper-division) playoff team is a success.
"To come back to my alma mater and to coach against some of the great coaches in this league has been a great experience. And this has been by far one of the best leagues in the City year in and year out.
"I'm proud of what I've done, but I wish I had the drive to keep going."
God bless the coach for giving it 11 years as it sure is a fantastic thing when someone gives so much of their time to help make young men and women better players, better students and better people. I wish him good luck.
Coach Marshall Jones: You are a symbol of a revered Mohican Warrior with the competitive fierceness of a Panther. God speed Coach! Thanks!
It has been long past time for him to go. 16 wins and 36 losses over the past five years(2-18 last two years). Beat it.
I was a former player for Coach, I will always remember him as a great leader of young men. I want to thank you for all the help you've given me.
I played for coach marshall jones. He has made an impact on my life way before i started playing for him. My cousin xavier ross played for him the year they won the 3a championship in 2000. Once i started going to gardena games and i saw that we had the same last name i was hooked and i made a commitment dec 2000 that i was going to play for coach marshall jones.every year i played for coach jones2004-07 i learned something new and became more of a man. i have also gotten in trouble plenty of time by coach jones as he was also my 10th grade english teacher. One more thing me and coach jones have in common is that our first year out of high school we started coaching.im will be 19 years old on sun nov 23rd. i wanna wish coach jones the best of luck in whatever he does.
Thank you coach jones for everything.
Your quarterback Philip Jones class of 2008
I PLAYED FOR COACH JONES FROM 2002-2006. COACH JONES TAUGHT ME ALOT ABOUT THE GAME OF FOOTBALL. HE IS A GREAT MAN AND IS VERY DEDICATED MAN. ITS NOT HIS FAULT THAT HE IS 2-18 IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. ALL HE CAN DO IS PREPARE HIS TEAM, IN WHICH HE DOES A VERY GOOD JOB AT IT, HE CANT GO OUT AND PLAY FOR US. HE IS A GOOD DUDE AND I HOPE HE DOESNT GIVE IT UP. ME AND MARSHALL HAD A HUGE BOND, SOME WOULD EVEN JOKE AS HIM BEING MY FATHER, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM. AFTER THIS YEAR THAT HE TAKES OFF, I KNOW THAT HE WILL GET BACK AFTER AT BECAUSE OF THE LOVE AND PASSION THAT HE HAS FOR THE WONDERFUL GAME.
THANKS COACH FOR EVERYTHING.
LINEBACKER/TIGH END
Now maybe Morningsides coach will do the same