A Michiana Life in the Spotlight: Mathew Marvin

Matt Marvin was destined to be a coach. Though his goals may have seemed lofty for a sixth grader, Marvin knew his purpose early on, and whenever life allowed, he charged toward that goal. Now he lives it, continuing to check boxes, win titles, and perfect his craft at every turn.

When Marvin graduated high school, he knew his path would be atypical. He took a year to gather his thoughts, create a game plan, and set out on his coaching journey. Though his continued education did not take a typical form as he took to learning outside of a classroom.

Marvin started his coaching career soon after graduating high school, taking a summer job at Morris Park Country Club, where he fell in love with the game of golf. He spent the years between 2008 and 2016 as an assistant golf pro, and though his country club days are behind him, he reflects on that time fondly.

“Morris Park was my favorite place on earth, and I just loved it there. I loved the people,” he said.

Marvin’s career at the club rolled into his time at La Lumière, a preparatory school in La Porte, where he took a crack at coaching in a more structured, organized setting.

Marvin took to the school quickly and became heavily involved in the lives of its students both athletically and academically. He wore many hats — athletic director, dorm parent, and coach of Girls Golf and Boys Basketball — immersing himself in the school’s culture through its student activities. It was at La Lumière that Marvin worked with and trained numerous top-tier, future Division I athletes, and he helped guide the Boys Basketball team to a national title. By the time of his departure, Marvin had left big shoes to fill as he laced up his own for greater opportunity elsewhere.

When that opportunity came, Marvin, his wife, and their growing family took a leap of faith and moved to South Bend, where his wife planned to open her dental practice and Marvin continued to live out his dream of coaching.

Marvin took a position with Holy Cross College, a private Catholic college in Notre Dame, Indiana, where he spent two years coaching the men’s golf team. Still not feeling entirely settled, he took a job at South Bend Washington High School, where he now coaches Girls Golf and basketball, further spreading his coaching expertise throughout the region.

Marvin has the kind of enthusiasm for basketball and athletics that would excite any prospective athlete and their determined parents. His willingness to have tough conversations — not just about the sport, but about education, life, and the future — makes him the right man for the job at any school.

His influence, however, is entirely homegrown.

“My dad was a baseball coach, and oddly enough, I hated baseball growing up. As I got into high school, I started to play, and I fell in love with the game,” Marvin said.

Years later, as he reflects on his upbringing, Marvin can confidently point to the many roads that led him to where he is today. Though he may have been born to be a coach, he attributes much of that influence to his father, having spent his younger years studying his dad’s habits and coaching style, and admiring his efforts.

“I find myself now emulating a lot of the characteristics that my dad did,” he said. “I’ve probably done a bad job of actually telling him this, but now that I’m saying it out loud — he had a huge influence on my wanting to be a coach.”

His love for sports has grown over the years, but he traces its roots to the core of his childhood: huddled around the TV, watching taped recordings of old sports footage.

“I was always obsessed with the game of basketball, and I quickly learned at a young age that playing was not going to be good enough. I wanted to stay in the game, and knowing that, I realized I’d better learn how to coach,” he said.

Marvin grew up in the Bobby Knight era of Hoosier basketball, and as a young boy in Indiana, he shamelessly recalls wearing out his family’s Hoosiers VHS tape. Knight’s run at the NCAA — three national titles and 11 Big Ten titles from the 1970s to the 2000s — left a mark on young Marvin.

With each rewind of that tape, each game, and every practice, Marvin built his coaching playbook piece by piece. It was a dream he had held since sixth grade, and the qualities instilled in him from a young age are recognized in his efforts on and off the court today.

The parents and students of South Bend Washington eagerly await the coming season under Marvin’s leadership. Marvin has been in the weight room, gearing up for what he hopes will be a successful inaugural season with the Panthers.

In the offseason, Marvin’s expectations do not waver. He continues to show up — in the offseason, in practice, and whenever his student-athletes need loving but stern coaching advice. Marvin does not shy away from tough conversations, and with two daughters of his own, he is well-equipped to help his players navigate anything life throws their way.

Marvin’s own daughters have gone on to successful college careers, and he credits them, along with his wife, for giving him the patience, experience, and extra care needed to help girls navigate their journey through education and athletics at any level.

“I coach basketball because I want to see these kids go and pursue their life goals and dreams. From a success standpoint, if you want to know how I did as a coach, don’t look at my win-loss record. Check with me in 30 years, and let’s see how my teams have gone on to succeed in their own lives,” Marvin said.

Marvin also credits his success to simply showing up, giving his best effort, leading with a positive attitude, and instilling in his players the mindset needed to win.

“In this first year, I just want to build a team that is really competitive and shows up for every game,” Marvin said. “They play hard. There is no quit in them, and we are in the process of developing that tough, hard-nosed mindset — we’re going to show up, we’re going to put on our hard hats, and we’re going to go to work every single day. I think we’ve made really good progress in that during my first month and a half here.”

The pressure is on for the Elkhart local as he heads into his inaugural season as head coach of South Bend Washington’s Girls Basketball team. Marvin looks forward to leading his players through a season of great anticipation on a spectator, coaching, and organizational level. The pressure to perform is greater than ever, and the expectations Marvin has placed on himself are higher than before.

Success is nothing without support — whether from parents, the community, or family — and Marvin is grateful for the support of his new team and school, and all they stand to accomplish together.

At the end of the day, Marvin points to what he considers the most important factor in his coaching success: his family.

“Any coach would tell you they can’t be successful without a supportive wife,” he said — one who, we can trust, will be cheering loudly from the bleachers at South Bend Washington’s first game of the season, and throughout the years to come.