Marc Howard, Bogue Chitto

Marc Howard is always coaching. 

At Bogue Chitto, he’ll be found coaching the junior high and high school basketball teams for boys and girls.

When his own children are playing Upward Basketball or recreation or travel baseball, Howard is there too, coaching from the sidelines or the dugout.

When his wife Meleah is leading her nationally-ranked softball program at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, you’ll often find her husband standing beside the dugout, coaching up batters or pitchers with encouragement.

When his Bobcats are playing, he never stays sitting long. His coaching style is to be up, shouting instructions, while working the officials when needed.

This is the third-straight year for Howard to take home All-Area Coach of the Year honors. He pulled off a double last year, as he won it for boys’ and girls’ basketball.

The first year that Howard took home COY, that feature was dedicated to running down the revolving door that had long been the head coaching position of boys’ basketball at BC.

It’s not necessary to retread that ground, but it’s important to remind readers that the 2023 team that went 21-6 for Howard was the first time for the Bobcats to finish above .500 since 2011.

With four starters graduating, all of them honored within these pages, some might be expecting Bogue Chitto boys’ basketball to return to earth over the next couple years.

That’s the kind of motivation that guys like Howard love, a reason for them to keep inspiring, hollering, strategizing, cajoling, and coaching through their next group of student-athletes.