From Football Star to M-A Coach: Marquise Reid ’17

This is the 94th article in Bears Doing Big Things, a weekly column celebrating the stories of notable M-A alumni.

Marquise Reid ’17 is a dedicated athlete and leader who played football throughout his time at M-A before returning as a coach and mentor. “Football has always been a part of my life, through playing, coaching, and just being around the game,” he said. 

Reid grew up in East Palo Alto in a large, close-knit community. “Growing up in EPA was a delightful but challenging experience,” he said. “I feel like I grew up faster than the average high schooler but I also feel like that built a lot of character and gave me a thicker layer of skin.”

At M-A, Reid played football all four years and competed in track his freshman through junior years. “My high school experience felt like the movies,” Reid said. “Me and my friends were stellar athletes, so we felt a lot of love coming from the whole campus.”

Reid played as a kick returner and safety. In his senior year, he served as team captain and led M-A to a state championship. “We didn’t win state, but it was one of the most memorable moments of my football career and was especially special as a captain,” he said. 

After graduating from M-A, Reid attended the College of San Mateo before transferring to De Anza Community College. He played football at both schools and received an Associate of Arts degree in Communications. “After De Anza, I had to make a choice whether I wanted to hustle my way through college but get myself in serious debt or enter the workforce, so I decided to find a job,” Reid explained. 

Reid got a job as an epoxy technician, applying and repairing epoxy coatings and performing repairs in houses. “I was really just figuring out what I wanted to do and trying different things and career paths,” he said.

Soon after, Reid returned to M-A and began coaching football. He first served as the freshman team defensive coordinator, transitioned to coach the offensive side in his second year, and became the freshman head coach in 2023. During the most recent football season, Reid continued as freshman head coach while also working as a campus aid. 

“When I stopped playing football, I just wanted to be around it in any other way possible,” he said. “About a year into coaching I realized it wasn’t the game of football that I was falling back in love with, it was being around the kids and helping them become something they didn’t even believe was possible.”

“The connections that I make not only with the students, but also with parents, and the whole community made my job really special,” Reid added. 

Currently, Reid is discovering a new path in Michigan. “I’m ready to find my footing, figure out what I really want to do, and dial in on that,” he said. “I also hope to get back into coaching soon because I have a serious passion for working with the youth.”

Reid’s advice to current M-A students: “Keep striving. Don’t let any obstacle knock you down from what you are trying to accomplish and what your long term goal is.”

To those interested in pursuing a career in sports: “Whatever you want to do, whether that’s playing football, baseball, or basketball, make sure you go 100% at it. Most importantly, make sure you are on top of your grades. You are a student first and athlete second.”