Marysville High School graduate Justin Louck watches the action during Saturday’s Monarch football scrimmage at Delaware Hayes. The former Triad High School assistant coach will guide the Bunsold Middle School eighth-grade team this fall. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
A name familiar to Marysville football fans has returned to the program as a coach.
Justin Louck, a 1995 graduate of Marysville High School, has returned to serve as the head coach of the Monarch eighth grade gridders.
“Two years away from coaching was enough,” said Louck.
A member of the Monarch gridiron squads of the early 1990s, Louck most recently held a position on the Triad High School varsity coaching staff.
He helped guide Cardinal middle and high school squads for nine seasons.
“I left Triad in order to watch (son) Riley play college football at Ohio Wesleyan University,”
said Louck. “I had coached him, but never really focused on watching him play.”
Louck’s son is entering his junior season as a defensive end for the Battling Bishops.
Coaching middle school football will allow the elder Louck to make the short trip to Delaware to watch his son play home games on Saturdays this fall.
“Our eighth grade games are on Thursday evenings,” he said.
“I got back into coaching this year because I missed it and missed working with kids,” said Louck. “I enjoy watching guys grow as football players.”
Louck said he approached Monarch head coach Brent Johnson about possibly helping the high school team as a volunteer coach.
Louck assisted Johnson for two years when the MHS boss was the head coach at Marion Elgin High School.
Louck also coached one year at North Union and one previous season in the Monarch program.
Stephen DeRoads, who had served as the Bunsold middle school eighth grade head coach, left to join Pat Cotter’s varsity staff at Fairbanks High School.
“Brent asked me if I was interested in the spot and I jumped at the chance,” said Louck.
The eighth grade job not only will allow him to watch his son play at Ohio Wesleyan, but also fits in well with his employment.
Louck is a supervisor for the Ohio Department of Corrections.
He is being permitted flexible work hours in order to coach football.
In taking over the eighth grade team, Louck will be surrounded by players with familiar last names.
“I’m going to be coaching sons of some of the guys I played high school football with,” he said.
Among those eighth graders are Brock Powers (son of Steve), Jackson Snider (son of Keith) and Paul Green (son of Dana).
“Steve was a junior when I was a senior,” said Louck, “while Keith and Dana were sophomores.
“This is going to make me feel old,” he joked.
Louck is bringing another ex-Triad assistant coach to the eighth grade team.
Former Cardinal defensive coordinator Mike Braun has joined the Bunsold staff.
Matt Belt, an MHS grid alumni, will also assist the eighth grade squad.
Louck said he is not going to bring any fundamental changes to the middle school team.
“We’re going to run the mirror image of what the high school does,” he said. “We’re still going to use the Wing T offense and the 4-3 defense.
“Those have been staples here since Coach (Rich) Weiskircher,” said Louck. “We want to keep that continuity and get these kids eventually prepared for Friday nights.”