Top photo caption: New Notre Dame football coach Markell Harrison comes from Don Bosco with a winning pedigree and a strong belief in God, and looks to pass that along to his new team. Contributed photo
By Rich Fisher, Contributing Editor
As the new head football coach at Notre Dame High, Lawrenceville, Markell Harrison wants to create a team of hard workers, good students who represent the NDHS community well – and, obviously, good players.
He also wants to keep intact an important aspect inherited from predecessor Sean Clancy.
“It will be a faith-based program, I’m not gonna shy away from that,” Harrison said. “That’s one of the attractions of being at a religious institution. You don’t have to hide; you don’t have to run away from that.”
Harrison did not attend church much as a child, except for holidays. Things changed during his first few days with the West Virginia University football team, when things “were a little rough.”
“I had some teammates that brought me to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes,” he recalled. “My first day there I gave my life to the Lord, and I’ve been serving him since.
“It’s gotten me through some hard times. It hasn’t been easy with coaching and finances and how we’re gonna get things paid for. But our faith keeps us going and gets us through. Every time I’ve needed something I’ve prayed on a situation, and he’s come through for me. My belief is strong, it doesn’t waver.”
The Scotch Plains native is eager to learn more about ND’s Catholic Athletes for Christ chapter, run by Clancy.
“That’s one thing on my list to understand a little more,” Harrison said. “It definitely will be encouraged for the young men that are of Catholic faith.”
Harrison’s hiring was made official on March 11, the same day athletic director Nate Webber became Athletic Liaison for Enrollment and Frank Quartucci took over as AD. Harrison will also serve as assistant AD to Quartucci, who played for Rutgers the same time Harrison was at WVU – and the Mountaineers had the edge in that rivalry.
“We’ve already been talking trash,” Harrison said with a laugh. “I never lost to Rutgers … just saying.”
Turning serious, he added, “we’re like-minded in our thought process; him being a football player as well helps. Everything just seemed right to take this opportunity.”
After lettering in football, basketball and bowling at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, the 5-foot-8 Harrison stood tall enough to become a reserve quarterback for WVU teams that won Sugar, Fiesta and Gator Bowls. He won the 2006 Danny Van Etten Award from the Mountaineer coaches as the scout team player of the year.
He went into a lucrative sales career after college, but the lure of football proved too powerful; so, he took assistant coaching jobs at West Virginia Wesleyan College and Pace University while earning his master’s degree.
From there it was on to state power Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, which has won nine NJSIAA Non-Public IV titles this century. As a physical education teacher and defensive backs/recruiting coordinator, Harrison learned what went into making a program successful.
He’s eager to put that knowledge to use at Notre Dame, which went 4-7 last season.
“I had aspirations of being a head coach,” Harrison said. “I took my pedigree from being at Don Bosco and how we’ve been successful and saw the opportunity to go to Notre Dame and do the same. The support seems to be there for everything I need to be successful.”
Harrison has already been contacted by area players showing interest. He is still learning about his returning players and is excited for the young talent he inherits.
“It’s really like a fresh slate, I get to build it from the ground up,” he said. “There’s a lot of buzz and a lot of excitement. I hope I can capitalize on it.”
That means more than just on the field.
“I want good students and people in the Notre Dame community,” Harrison said. “It’s not just about football. When they get out of here you want them to have tools to be successful in their life.”
To do that, there must be a work ethic.
“I’ve always been an undersized athlete who had to work harder than everybody else to get where I needed to go,” Harrison said. “I want to instill those same qualities in the young men I need to work with. I faced a lot of adversity in my life, and I want to teach them how to handle themselves when those adverse situations come, and handle themselves in life in general.
“I learned a lot in the sales world that can be applied to everyday life, to school and football. I’m passing those things along. I’m in football coaching for the right reasons. I am very competitive, I don’t like losing at anything, but I’m also here to help grow young men. I will spend a lot of time on and off the field with my student-athletes. I really do love what I do.”