Marak Making His Mark
SUMMIT TWP — Joe Marak isn't afraid to mix it up in the trenches with his players.
During an early practice in camp, Marak dove into the line drills with his Summit Academy big men.
A former lineman himself at Butler, he felt like the unit needed some motivation.
“I was sick and tired of watching them not fire off the ball,” Marak said, smiling and sweating. “I told them, 'Here I am. I'm showing up all practice. You have me for the next two and a half hours.”
Did the hands-on approach work?
Marak grins and says, “Best practice all year. I was happy with them.”
Marak is a bundle of energy at practice. It's always been his way to engage with his players and let them know he is there.
Always.
At a place like Summit Academy — a private, residential school for at-risk, high-school-age youth — that is the primary goal.
“The best thing about this job is coming out here each day with this group of young men and trying to change their lives,” Marak said. “If we win, that's the cherry on top. We're here to change lives. That's our ultimate goal. All day long.”
Marak is very familiar with Summit Academy.
He feels like he was born to coach football at the school.
His uncle, Jim Marak, started the program in 1998. His father, Joe, worked at the school. He himself has worked there since he was 18 and was an assistant football coach for six years before taking over as the head coach this season after Steve Sherer retired.“I've been around this program since I was a baby,” Marak said. “I live and bleed, die blue and red. It's been my thing forever.”Marak, a 2009 Butler graduate who is also the assistant athletic director at Summit Academy, began his career at the school working in maintenance on the night shift.He's worked his way up through the ranks.Now, he feels like he is in a position to help the young men he coaches.“It's all about building relationships with these kids,” Marak said. “Not many of them have had a chance to have a relationship with somebody who cares about them 24/7. I put as many hours as I possibly can with these kids so they see my face, they see my coaches' faces, so they know we care about them.“That's the goal. As long as you can build that relationship with them and they trust you, they'll do anything for you. They're the nicest kids in the world at that point.”Marak has no delusions about the job, however.He knows how difficult it is.It may be the most challenging job in the WPIAL — to build a football team from scratch every season.Marak, though, doesn't shy away from the challenge. In fact, he embraces it with the same gusto he displays during practice.“If you don't like a good challenge, what are you?” Marak said. “What good are you?“The kids feed off your enthusiasm,” Marak added. “If you're a coach and you come out hesitant and not prepared and the kids don't really feel you want to be there, what do you expect them to give to you? I won't ask these kids to do anything I'm not prepared to do myself.”
