Freeport's Arntz promoted in 2 coaching positions

In what has been an eventful past couple of weeks, the athletic department at Freeport High School has lost two of its more familiar faces and decided to tap the shoulder of another to fill the voids left behind.

Longtime head baseball coach Gene Martin and veteran football defensive coordinator Charlie Marello have each stepped down from their respective roles within Bulldogs’ athletics and Shaun Arntz, who returned to his alma mater two years ago as an assistant on the football and softball teams, will assume their vacated positions.

Freeport football coach/athletics director Jim Anderson said while the losses of Martin and Marello sting, having a familiar face such as Arntz waiting in the wings has helped to soften the blow.

“I feel like we have the perfect guy to step in and fill those shoes,” Anderson said. “We’re really glad to have Shaun move into these positions.”

Martin, who had coached for 30 years, is retiring from teaching and coaching while Marello, who also served a successful six-year stint as the Bulldogs’ baseball coach, has accepted the vice principal position at South Walton High School.

In their place steps Arntz, a Freeport graduate who went on to play college football as a walk-on at the University of Southern Miss before returning as a defensive assistant on Anderson’s staff two years ago. During that time, Arntz was not only reunited with his former coaches in Anderson and Marello, but was also unknowingly being groomed to be the latter’s eventual replacement.

“I didn’t know that was (Anderson’s) intentions when I first got hired,” Arntz said. “He had just told me one day that if they needed (Marello) at another school, he would be gone over night and that he wanted me to be the guy.”

Over the next two years, Arntz made it a habit to take every opportunity available to pick the mind of Marello, whether that chance arose during a practice, following a workout or even on the sidelines on Friday nights.

Last season, Arntz would regularly walk to Marello’s house each Saturday morning to go over game film from the previous night, as well as look ahead to the next week’s opponent. The video sessions allowed Arntz to get a better glimpse into the mind of a defensive coordinator and gain a better understanding of the importance of film study.

“In my opinion, that’s one of the more difficult things to learn, how to research your opponent and prepare and come up with a game plan,” Marello said. “That’s when I saw his maturation because within a few weeks, he was seeing the things that I thought were important to see.

“I think he’s going to be just great.”

As for his new role of head baseball coach, Arntz believes his familiarity with the players and ties to the program will allow for a smooth transition moving forward.

“I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now if it wasn’t for coach Marello and coach Anderson,” Arntz said. “I’m really confident and really excited going into this year. I couldn’t be more blessed.”