Coal City honors Joe Marshall’s 50 years (and counting) of officiating

Joe Marshall, a graduate of Romeoville back when it was still known as Lockport West, just wrapped up his 50th season as a high school basketball official with the IHSA. In the final home game of the regular season on Feb. 21, Coal City High School recognized Marshall’s five decades of service.

From now on, any official who changes at Coal City will be doing so in the Joe Marshall Locker Room.

“I didn’t know (anything) about it,” Marshall said. “We were standing there getting ready for a game, they were introducing the starting lineups, and next thing I knew I heard my name. I looked up at their video board and saw my picture, and next thing I knew the athletic director, Brad Boresi, was taking me to half court presenting me with a (plaque).”

The other plaque with his name on it will reside above the officials' locker room from now on. His officiating partners, Steve Laken and Greg Matuszewski, along with his son, Matt Marshall, were on hand to celebrate with him.

“It was special and appreciated,” Joe said. “I’m only on my third athletic director (at Coal City) in my 50 years, and I’ve always had a special relationship with them. They’re really good to officials down there. The former AD, Dan Hutchings, started officiating now that he’s retired, so he’s crossed over to the other side.”

Boresi, Hutchings' successor, said the decision to honor Marshall was an easy one.

“Joe has officiated our Thanksgiving Tournament for years,” Boresi said. “When I heard this was his 50th year, I wanted to do some sort of recognition for the last game of the season. ...

“(We’re) in a time when finding officials in all sports is tough, and a lot of the experienced officials are getting older without many new people taking their places. For him to be doing it for 50 years is incredible. The amount of time he’s put in for the area is appreciated by everyone involved.

“He’s a great official, but an even better person.”

Marshall began officiating in 1975 after seeing an ad in the Joliet Herald-News. The Joliet Park District was looking for basketball officials, so Marshall decided to sign up. He quickly discovered he enjoyed it and got signed up with the IHSA shortly after.

In 2025, he’s still calling games.

Fifty years is a long time to be doing anything, so what’s kept Marshall going all this time? The people he’s met along the way.

“It’s the friendships,” he said. “I coached baseball for 45 years and refereed basketball for 50. All of my friends are either athletic directors, basketball coaches, baseball coaches, umpires; everybody in my life has been somehow connected to either baseball or basketball. It’s been my whole life.”

Marshall’s done a lot in his 50 years of officiating. He helped form the Joliet Basketball Officials group in 1977 with six other officials. He twice served as the president, was the association’s official of the year in 1999 and was inducted into the association’s Hall of Fame in 2013. He’s also spent the past 25 years watching his son, Matt, officiate games as well.

Marshall worked for ComEd most of his life before retiring several years ago. He’s 72 now and just retired from coaching baseball at Crest Hill after 45 years this past August.

So with year 50 in the books, will he be hanging up the whistle now, too?

Don’t count on it.

“I was thinking about retiring after my 50th year, but I’ve decided not to,” Joe said. “I’ve had some back issues, so I might have to have surgery, but my legs are still good. I plan on doing it another year or two if I can. I just love it too much.”