Barnesville High School honored longtime track and cross-country coach Mark Brown (center) for decades of dedication.
The starter’s pistol cracks, and runners surge into the first hill. Gravel crunches underfoot as Coach Mark Brown stands at the edge of the course, stopwatch in hand, steady as ever. Long before he coached his first race, though, Brown was running a different kind of course — one built on teaching, mentorship and service.
After earning his degree in vocational agriculture from The Ohio State University, he had three job offers. Two were in flat, open northwestern Ohio. The third was in a small Appalachian town surrounded by trees and rolling hills.
“I just liked it here,” Brown said. “There were hills and scenery. Up north, you can see your neighbor’s house three miles away. I’ve always liked the hills better.”
He chose the hills — and spent 35 years teaching at Barnesville High School, where he served as an agricultural education teacher, guidance counselor and coach for the varsity track and cross-country teams.
Brown’s connection to agriculture began early. He worked on a dairy farm and raised beef cattle while active in 4-H. His high school didn’t have FFA, so he didn’t discover it until he attended an event at a nearby school. That experience sparked his career in agricultural education and his belief that FFA and 4-H “go hand in hand,” he said, in developing leadership and confidence.
When Brown transitioned from teaching to coaching, his message didn’t change — only the setting. “It’s not medals or banners,” he says. “It’s the satisfaction when somebody improves or comes back and says, ‘I appreciate what you did for me.’ That’s what means the most.”
His story mirrors every race he’s coached — and every FFA competition he once helped students prepare for. At the start line, or before the judge calls time, there’s excitement and nerves. Halfway through, there’s challenge and doubt. But the finish isn’t about who wins — it’s about who keeps going, who encourages others and who finishes stronger than they started.
To Coach Brown, “Living to Serve” reaches far beyond agriculture. Whether he’s helping a younger runner find confidence, assisting at the county fair or volunteering in a nursing home, he believes there’s always someone who needs encouragement. “There’s always things out there,” he said. “Even if it’s not in agriculture, just become involved in your community.”
Brown reminds his students that service doesn’t have a uniform. It’s about stepping forward, lending a hand and finding purpose in everyday moments. For him, the same hills that shaped his classroom lessons also shaped his course maps. In barn boots or running shoes, he’s taught that the uphill stretches — in work, school or life — are where strength and character grow.
From the track to the classroom, and from the hills of Barnesville to every life he’s touched, Coach Brown continues to embody the FFA motto of “Living to Serve” — one act, one mile and one student at a time.
