Head Coach Scott Marino has been coaching the girls varsity basketball team for two years now. 20 years prior to coming to Malden High, he coached boy’s varsity basketball at many different high schools and colleges.
Besides coaching, Marino teaches a seventh grade math class at Linden S.T.E.A.M. Academy. Marino has wanted to coach since the age of 16. He eventually received a Master’s Degree in Education from Cambridge College, which opened up many opportunities for teaching and coaching. Marino originally had a “double major in marketing and finance with a minor in History from Suffolk University”.
Since receiving his master’s degree, Marino has had a tremendous experience with coaching. He has coached at schools like Pope John XXIII High School, Stoneham High School, Belmont High School, and Suffolk University. He explained how he has always had a strong connection with basketball, and how it has been a passion of his since the age of 10. “[Marino] had some great coaches as a player and [he is] thankful for the opportunities that have been provided to [him].
Like the girls, Marino is aiming to qualify for the states basketball tournament. He hopes to achieve these goals by reminding the girls exactly what they are trying to do. Marino stated that “Pushing players and the team to high expectations is what [he’s] about. Winning [isn’t] everything, but it is important”. He wants to “improve every day while maintaining a strong, positive attitude”
Marino enjoys coaching girls basketball. He explained that “It is very gratifying to watch the development of all [these] student athletes”. Marino believes that he has learned just as much as the girls have. “[The] girls set goals as individuals and as a team, it is [his] job to help them achieve them. Perseverance is the word that [he] would use to best describe [the] girls”.
Marino is very involved with Malden and the public schools. Outside of coaching and teaching, he is part of multiple Malden committees such as Linden S.T.E.A.M Academy Governing Board, Middle School Girl’s Basketball, Girls Travel Basketball Program, and more.
Marino is all about improving. He and the team are working “to [develop] a winning attitude by being accountable for [their] actions on and off the court.”. Marino also explained how the team could “improve on defensive rebounding, transition defense and [other skills to enhance their performance during games]”.
Junior captain, Salma Bezzat, said that “Marino has a very new style of coaching that [she] is not used to”. She also explained how Marino is always prepared and never wastes time. Bezzat stated that Marino “[brings in a] new way of looking at basketball”, the team and program respect him a lot for that. She mentioned how Marino helped the team “[win] more games than the [previous year]”.
