Mike Zamarchi is stepping down as the Marshwood High boys’ basketball coach after 21 years, ending an association with the program that dated to the mid-1980s, when he played for the Hawks.

“I’ve been doing it a long time and I just needed a break. I needed to step back,” Zamarchi said Wednesday. “There were just a lot of things that played into the decision.”

Zamarchi, 48, took the position in the 1995-96 school year. He won his 200th career game last winter and leaves with a 208-193 record. His teams qualified for the playoffs 15 times, twice reaching the Western Class A championship game.

“I feel we were competitive,” he said. “I feel the program is in good shape. I’m happy with what we accomplished. Even though we didn’t win a state championship, teams who played us knew we were going to play hard every night.”

Athletic Director Rich Buzzell said Zamarchi’s tenure was remarkable in this era.

“I just think it’s unique nowadays for coaches to put in 10-plus years, never mind 20-plus,” said Buzzell. “I think it’s become harder to coach. The landscape has certainly changed.”

Zamachi said there was no single reason he was leaving, but that the position had become more difficult in recent years.

“It’s a year-round position now, not just winter time,” he said. “And there are a lot of added responsibilities, a lot of things that don’t really involve coaching, a lot of administrative stuff.

“I will miss the practices and coaching the kids – I think I’ve developed a lot of good relationships with them – and the competition. But a lot of the other stuff was wearing me down. I might get back into it some day. But at this point I needed a break.”

Zamarchi, who graduated from Marshwood in 1986, will continue as a history teacher at the school. He played football and basketball, and ran track. He’s the last of three 1,000-point scorers in the boys’ program.

“I never thought I’d go back and teach and coach here,” he said. “There is a lot of pride in that. There’s a lot of pride in the communities here. This is a great sports community with great parents.”

After high school, he played at the University of Southern Maine for Bob Brown. After USM he coached the junior varsity in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for four years. Then he coached the Marshwood junior varsity for four years before becoming the varsity coach.

“We’re certainly going to miss him as the leader of that program,” said Buzzell. “He had a way of working the sideline. And I think about how many kids went through the program and how many great relationships he developed.”

Buzzell said he hopes to have interviews for the position completed in April and a new head coach in place by May.

“Hopefully they get someone with a lot of energy,” said Zamarchi. “I’m going to miss it but I feel good about the decision.”

Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or:

mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: MikeLowePPH

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