AS THE SERVITE HIGH School’s ice hockey coach, Mike Marshall has guided the Friars to championships in three of the past four seasons, while ensuring that the school’s Christ-centered principles of formation remain at the core of the team’s motivation.
In the classroom, Marshall has taught AP Psychology, AP World History and other courses, helping to prepare students to achieve their educational and personal goals in and out of the classroom. Such dedication to his calling is also obvious to his peers, who voted Marshall as Servite High School’s Teacher of the Year.
Along with the Teacher of the Year honors, Marshall becomes a finalist for 2025 Parenting OC School Hero Award.
“It is humbling,” Marshall said of the recognition. “It’s validation that I am right where I am supposed to be and doing what I am supposed to be doing. It’s a pretty awesome experience.”
Servite’s principal, Nancy Windisch, said Marshall embodies the true spirit of teaching through his dedication, passion and commitment to his students.
COACH MIKE MARSHALL HAS LED THE SERVITE FRIARS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THREE OF THE PAST FOUR SEASONS. PHOTO COURTESY OF SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
“His tireless efforts to form our young men into faith-filled leaders are a testament to his devotion to their success — both in the classroom and in life,” Windisch said. “We are truly blessed to have Mr. Marshall as a part of our Servite community.”
Marshall, whose father was a hockey coach at the Naval Academy in Maryland, started playing hockey as a youngster. He grew up on the east coast in a devout Catholic family, attended Catholic grammar school, an all-boys Catholic high school and a Jesuit college. Marshall ultimately landed a teaching job at St. Cecilia Catholic School in Tustin, while coaching club hockey.
“My parents modeled the Catholic faith probably the best for us,” Marshall said. “We were at Mass, we were altar servers, we were in choir. We prayed before every dinner. Family meals were important. I understand the importance of that. Reflecting back on it now, I know that they were trying to teach those values to us, the importance of family and friends and everything else with it.”
Today, Marshall, his wife and the couple’s three children are parishioners at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Yorba Linda. Marshall came on as an assistant at Servite in 2014, but when the head coach left suddenly for another job, Marshall was asked to take over the program. In an effort to create a winning, Christ-centered culture, there were growing pains and challenges, Marshall said.
“Then we kind of made the program be more aligned with Servite and what Servite stands for,” he said.
Team prayers before and after games, team Masses, singing Salve Regina after games, embracing Servite’s principle of “we before me and “blessing of the sticks,” a ritual on many Catholic school hockey teams, have become customary.
“It is important that we keep these traditions,” Marshall said. “It’s this building of brotherhood. That’s when the success started happening. We won our first championship that year (2020).”
Servite junior Ryan Kovats plays on the Friars hockey team and had Marshall as a teacher for AP World History as a sophomore. Kovats said having the opportunity to play for Marshall is one of the main reasons he chose to attend Servite.
“Although I’ve played for many coaches in my hockey career, Mr. Marshall continues to be my favorite coach because of his care for each of his players and the respect he has for us,” Kovats said. “Mr. Marshall continues to support me in my hockey career and wants the best for me while always pushing me to be my best.”
I also had Mr. Marshall my sophomore year for AP World History. He not only helped me get a 4 on my AP exam but gave me an amazing experience in the classroom and prepared me very well for APUSH at Servite.”
Sean Oliu, Servite’s assistant hockey coach, is also a Servite graduate who played for Marshall for all four years of high school and was team captain on Servite’s first-ever Anaheim Ducks High School Championship team.
“I wish every hockey player could be coached by Mike Marshall,” said Oliu, who was team captain of the Friars’ first championship team. “If they could, there would be a lot of great hockey players, but more importantly there’d be a lot of good people. Mike is an expert on the game and always finds a way to tailor the game plan to the group of guys in the locker room. Playing hockey at Servite made me a better person, it helped shape who I am today.”