PEORIA, Ill. – A big name in the history of the Peoria Manual High School basketball program has ascended to the top coaching job.
The Peoria Public School Board has approved Marvin Jordan to become head coach of the Rams, replacing Willie Coleman, who resigned in June.
Jordan — who had been an assistant under Coleman — was a First Team All-State Senior, and was a starting point guard who helped lead the team to two IHSA Class 2A state title games as a sophomore and Senior.
Jordan says in a news release he wants to lead his players both on and off the court, believing a lot of coaches skip the fact that players have classes and the rest of life to deal with, as well as being athletes.
“First and foremost, I want to help grow my team on and off the court,” said Jordan. “A lot of people in coaching skip the fact that these young men have lives outside the basketball court. We have to support them in the classroom and in their lives outside school. We have to be there for late night emergency calls. I want to be there to help them every step of the way.”
