Marble Falls coach Lerin Lockwood an ace with voters

MARBLE FALLS — When Lerin Lockwood received the email telling her she had been voted the Marble Falls area’s favorite coach by The Picayune readers and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune listeners, she hit reply with a three-word sentence: “Are you serious?”
Yes, coach. 
“I squealed,” she said after reading a second email stating that the Locals Love Us honor was not a joke. “One of my aides was in the classroom. She asked, ‘Are you OK?’”
Lockwood is in her fifth year as a coach in the Marble Falls Independent School District. She is the assistant tennis coach, a sport that’s played year-round. In the past, she has been an assistant coach on the volleyball and softball teams. 
She said being named the favorite coach is an honor, noting she works with plenty of knowledgeable coaches at MFISD. 
It also means a lot because of her fondness for the students she teaches, the other coaches and the people she has gotten to know.
“I love it here,” she said. “It’s not just about loving the kids and community. It’s a blessing to be able to work here; it’s a privilege. To be voted by the community is really special.”
Lockwood and head tennis coach Jeff Savage are busy preparing the Mustangs for the spring season during which they can advance to the regional tournament as singles players or doubles teams. In the fall, Marble Falls, which competes in District 25-5A, plays team tennis. 
She said she enjoys coaching one sport throughout the school year because it allows coaches and players to develop a bond.
“I’m really close to them,” she said. “I learn a lot from them, too. It’s its own world, being year-round. It’s not work if you love it.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com