CIU Today Fall 2015

From a young age, Columbia International University’s new

head basketball coach had a goal: “To never have to work.”

Marshall Tague (pronounced: TAYG) is quick to explain his

statement.

“What I mean is that I always wanted to enjoy what I do,” Tague

continues, “and if I enjoy what I do, it is not necessarily work.”

And for Tague, coaching falls in line with that goal.

Tague came to CIU from Lancaster Bible College

(LBC) in Pennsylvania where he coached the Chargers

to the 2015 National Christian College Athletic

Association Division 2 National Championship, ending

the regular season with a 28-3 record. He took over

the Lancaster program in 2012-2013 with a record

of 5-21 and over three years improved the

overall record to 55-33.

He says he turned the program around by

emphasizing strength conditioning, but

more importantly, changing the culture of

the team by recruiting players who were a

fit for the program.

“Are they likable guys? Do they have

the same intentions and purposes of the

school?” are questions Tague would ask.

In other words, he said he was looking

for players with godly priorities, “Being

Christians first, being men of God first, and

having that permeate throughout every

aspect of their lives.”

Tague says God was preparing him to be a

coach as far back as his collegiate playing

days at Southwestern College (now Arizona

Christian University). At 5’10” Tague is short

by basketball standards which put him at the

position of point guard, the team leader on the

court.

“You have to think the game a little bit more, you

have to understand what the coach wants and

what the team needs,” Tague said describing the

role of the point guard. “I think that’s something

that prepared me to be a coach.”

But Tague actually considers himself more than a

coach. He is a mentor to his players.

“The basketball is a part of it,” Tague begins

the explanation. “The X’s and O’s, the

practices, the workouts.” He says he wants to “come alongside

(the players) and help them grow up spiritually and help them

academically. Help them to be men of God, help them prepare

to be fathers, husbands, businesspeople, whatever their

vocation may be.”

Tague’s proven track record excites CIU Athletics Director Kim

Abbott, but she says he brings even more to the two-year-old

CIU basketball program.

“Marshall Tague’s personal qualities and coaching skills

will lend to a very successful and unified team,” Abbott

said. “He has proven that he can create a positive culture

and turn a team around by what he has done at other

schools.”

So the question lingers. After so much success at

LBC, why would Tague make the move to CIU?

Tague, who is married and father to a three

year old and a nine month old, says it “was

a very difficult decision.”

“Ultimately the decision came down

to two things,” Tague said about the

conclusions he came to with this wife,

Jessica. “Where did we feel the Lord

was calling us and what we felt was

best for our growing family. Still, the

decision was hard and the last thing

I wanted to do was leave behind the

players. We had built very strong

relationships through the worst of

times and the best of times.”

And that’s the kind of program Tague

wants to build at CIU.

“Because of the culture that was built (at LBC),

people were really proud of the group of guys that

were there,” Tague said. “We saw the support

from students, faculty, staff, the administration,

the community, the media, from alumni, they were

genuinely supportive of us and rooting for us. That

would be important for me (at CIU), and I know

what goes into that.”

Meet Marshall Tague: Basketball Coach and Mentor

By Bob Holmes

ATHLETICS

CIU Today