For the first time in four decades, Andalusia High School has a new basketball coach. On Monday night, the school board approved the nomination of Marshall Locke as interim head coach for the Bulldogs.

“It’s an extreme honor to be named the head basketball coach at my alma mater,” Locke said. “I grew up next to Coach Robertson, and he was always grooming me to be a coach.”

Locke has spent several years in several different coaching roles for Andalusia High School.

For other coaching positions named by the board, click here. 

“Coach Locke has been around for more than 20 years,” Superintendent Ted Watson said. “He was coach for the girls’ state championship team, and given the time frame this was the logical choice.”

Watson said that although Locke has just been named interim coach doesn’t mean that he isn’t being considered for the full-time job.

“We will wait until after basketball season, and we will open the job back up,” Watson said. “Not to belittle Coach Locke, we just feel like we owe it to the kids and the community to get all interested applicants time to get in the pool.”

Watson said that Locke would be considered for the job.

“We will also be looking at Coach Locke to potentially fill the role,” Watson said. “One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be strange seeing an Andalusia basketball game without Coach (Richard) Robertson on the sideline.”

Locke has spent more than 20 years in the Andalusia City School system, and has served as head coach in golf and girls’ basketball.

“I want to thank God for giving me this opportunity,” Locke said. “I also want to thank Ted Watson, Dr. Shakespeare and all of the board members for giving me this chance. Most importantly, I want to thank Coach Robertson for all the years he has spent molding me into a coach. No one can ever replace him, but I want to do him proud.”

Locke has also spent several years as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs’ football and boys’ basketball teams.

“We will hit the ground running,” Locke said. “Like Coach Robertson always said, ‘We’ve got the dogs out of the dish. Now, let’s keep them out of the dish.’ Anything less than playing for a state championship will be a failure. I want to continue to build on what Coach Robertson has established here.”

This season Locke was also named head coach for the junior varsity football team.