Monte Sherrill is the record-setting coach of Alexander Central High in Taylorsville, N.C., which this week saw its 95-game win streak come to an end but not after it won two of the last three 4A state championships and four of the last seven.

Coach Sherrill served in the Marines and here talks about how that has influenced his perspectives on God, country and coaching…

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The rock-solid foundation that lies underneath every single team I’ve ever coached is made up of the commitment, spirit, and sweat that came through my time in the United States Marines.

It was in my time spent in boot camp and intensive training that I realized that it was no longer just me standing alone with my name stamped on my uniform, but instead me beside a band of brothers who were there to guard my back at all times with all they had in them.

When the time came to enter into the phase of coaching that soon followed my service, I knew that it was that unity, that bond, which would be the backbone of my own coaching style—God, country, corps as the anthem goes.

If you think of the Marines, or any corps at all, you immediately think of the uniform.

It’s all about details and crisp corners, waxed shoes and aligned hat and that is what I demand from my teams. We will act as one unit, with aligned pinstripe jerseys, cleaned cleats, and tucked in tails. It’s not just about slapping on a jersey and having a number on your back.

Instead I emphasize the importance of respecting the name that spans across your chest to the same degree that one upholds the reputation of the family name. Every miniscule detail shows the dedication and determination that our program applies in its mission for perfection. And all of these elements point back to the mission statement of the military.

In my time in the Marines I learned the importance of pride and respect in defending the nation in which I live because no longer would I talk my country’s talk but I would walk my country’s walk as the greatest nation in the world.

But as many know, my commitment to mirroring my military past goes much further than simply dressing the part. On top of our dedication to presenting ourselves as a top-notch program, we also push the hours of training to prepare for our battles.

We make practice physically and mentally exhausting, something much more daunting than a game could possibly be so that we are prepared for whatever obstacle that comes our way. This directly imitates the Marine Corps’ mission to drive their men the hardest, to prepare a training that sits on the highest of all shelves and to know without a doubt their squadron is prepared for the real action when it comes about.

Every single day we get out of practice, I see our girls walking out dirty and exhausted from the day’s three hour long practice and I am able to know that each day they grow more prepared for the situations of a game.

Just like the military demands target practice, core stamina, and endurance runs with 50 pound packs we drill and drill our bunt coverages, perfect the mechanics of our swings to prepare for the opponent’s tactics and go over each possible situation whether it’s focusing on communication in the outfield or pick-offs from home to first. I strive to train and equip, to teach and to observe, to prepare and discipline my players for the real combat zone.

The team that I prepare does not only respect the name on their jersey or train harder than any other, but they also pay respect and admiration for the men and women who have fought and now fight to protect our nation.

We stand as still as stone, unwavering and unflinching, with our hats over our hearts and standing at ease while the notes of our national anthem flood through our ears and the flag flaps with the wind. We are a throw back team of the 1950’s unwilling to conform into today’s way of thinking.

We are God, Country, Corps. I owe the Marine Corps dearly for my success as a coach.

Semper Fi .