Paul Marfia is excited to bring his experience and family to the Oxford community.
Marfia was offered the position as head coach of the varsity boys basketball team May 19 and gladly accepted it.
‘It was an extensive process,? said Marfia decribing everything he went through.
After applying he was interviewed a few times by Athletic Director Pat Ball, a panel of coaches and administrators.
Ball said he thought Marfia would be great for the position after the second interview.
For teaching, he talked to Principal Michael Schweig, panel of parents and had to teach a lesson to students in front of the administration.
‘I was very impressed with the whole process,? he commented. ‘Oxford takes their education seriously and that is something I want to be a part of.?
Marfia has coached varsity basketball for 11 years and recalled the highlight for him was two years ago when Manistee won their regional championship then lost to Grand Rapids in the quarterfinals. He led the team to a 22-3 record for the season.
Marfia has no changes in mind for the current basketball program Coach Steve Laidlaw built.
‘He laid down a great a program and I plan on keep building on Laidlaw’s momentum,? he said.
Marfia enjoys teaching the game to younger kids and is excited to teach aspiring varsity players the fundamentals during his summer camp June 15-18.
‘If you want to be a successful team, you need to work on the fundamentals,? he said.
For Marfia, the basketball season begins in June when he arrives in Oxford and will have an open gym for all interested players.
He understands players have other sports and activities they participate in and does not want to take it away from them.
Marfia plans to guide the team in a model of coaching he called ‘We Work.?
He explained the ‘we? part is to show the players they are part of something bigger than themselves.
The second part is to work on building onto their skills in both defense and offense positions in the first year.
Marfia graduated from Fennville High School in 1994. He complete his degree in teaching he went to Perth, Australia for 10 months to teach at Governor Sterlying High school.
Marfia graduated from Central Michigan University with a Social Studies major and a History minor.
He taught four years at Fennville Middle School, while coaching football, basketball, and track.
In 2002, he began teaching US History and World History at Durand High School while coaching the varsity boys and girls basketball teams.
Two year later he went to Manistee to teach Sports Officiating, World War II and Economics.
While at Manistee, Marfia coached freshman girls? basketball and varsity track, varsity boys basketball coach.
‘He has been a track coach and girls basketball coach, he knows the importance of athletics,? said Ball.
Marfia will be teaching social studies and plans to look for a home for his family in Oxford.
His wife, Rebecca was an Art and Spanish teacher at Mason County Eastern Schools.
They have three children, Isabel, 2, Madison, 17 months, and Savannah, born last Friday, weighing 8 pounds 11 ounces.
He will be holding a ‘Meet the Parents? night on June 5 at Oxford High School, beginning at 6 p.m.