The coach hits his mark

(Editor's note: This is corrected version of story published on Page B1 Monday.)

The soccer player with the rough background and poor grades is met by Len Marks' glaring stare.

The Marysville High coach, his brown eyes firmly locked on the teenager, proceeds with a stern lecture before asking for a handshake.

"You're a bright guy and have capabilities, but let's face it you're lazy," Marks would say to this player. "I want you to learn to win, to learn to succeed, to learn how to strive and to work while on the field and off. If you can do that, I want you to play for me."

And the instant the young man's hand links with Marks' outstretched right, the "contract for life" is sealed. It's Marks' way of making these players reach their potential, something he helps usher along by arranging tutors, talking to teachers and giving a proverbial kick in the rear when needed.

He's been doing it for years, with rousing — D to B average — success. For Marks, it's not going above and beyond. He likes helping kids — it's a high. He does it for a living as a pediatrician, then takes off his stethoscope, straps on a pair of Adidas and heads to the pitch.

His dedication hasn't gone unnoticed. This year, Marks was named one of the Sac-Joaquin Section's Model Coaches, an award "honoring coaches who are positive role models within our schools and community."

"He fits all the criteria of a model coach," said Marysville principal Gary Cena, who nominated Marks for the award. "He mentors (students) and it's one-on-one, it's face-to-face.

"(He's) going to bend over backwards to help you but kick your butt, too."

Six coaches from the 174-school section are given the annual honor after a rigorous selection period. Marks, who has walked the Marysville sidelines since 1990, is the first recipient from the Mid-Valley in the eight-year history of the award.

For Marks, grades are paramount. Since 1995, only one of his teams hasn't had a cumulative GPA of 3.0. It was a 2.996.

"Those are the only stats I keep," Marks said. "I don't know my win-loss record."

Under Marks, the Indians have made playoff runs and had years where the wins could be counted on one hand. In 2009, the Indians were 1-14-5.

Marks can live with it. The fact that his players matured far trumps a few months of less-than-desirable on the field results, he said.

The "contract for life," while catchy and effective, is far from the only reason why Marks is being awarded. To list his contributions to area soccer takes the better part of a page when using 12-point font.

He's been coaching since 1984, when he decided to step up and help fill a vacancy on his son's youth team. Since then, the person who never played organized soccer — he's more of a baseball guy — has coached, officiated, overseen and organized the game in the area.

He was instrumental in building youth soccer — doing everything from handling logistics to procuring land to planting grass for the fields. That massive river bottom soccer complex residents view when driving over the 10th street bridge? Marks' baby.

That was one of may examples Cena cited when he nominated Marks. Typing away on official letterhead, the principal detailed Marks' steps to eliminate unruly parents from harassing players and officials, to giving his own money as a scholarship to his players, to his Top Soccer program, which pairs students from Marysville's leadership program with disabled youth.

Just don't call his actions selfless.

"I'm totally selfish," he said. "I do this because I enjoy it."

And for those who know Marks, the endless dedication comes with a quirky caveat — his personality.

The best example of which is time. Practice won't start at 3:10 p.m. Students need to be ready to go promptly at 3:13.

"He's an outstanding man," said Marysville high tennis coach Luis Barrañon, Marks' friend for the last 20 years. "But if you don't know him, well, you may think he is unusual."

The coach's response to such comments: "That's Len Marks."