Marble Falls girls basketball coach Berkman is new boys basketball coach

CAPTION: Marble Falls girls basketball head coach John Berkman (right) with the class of 2023 and varsity assistant coach Adley Canales (left). The players are Tea Rodriguez (2), Mackenzie Farmer, Emma Koziel, Avie Nail, Lilly Nesrsta and Alyssa Berkman. The 2022-23 team was picked to win the District 24-4A crown and did just and won two playoff contests. File photo

John Berkman is the new Marble Falls Independent School District boys basketball head coach, a move that was announced at the board of trustees meeting April 23.

Berkman has spent the last eight years coaching the Lady Mustangs where he has a 126-124 overall record. Berkman, who will continue to serve as the assistant athletic director, is known for assembling a tough pre-district schedule designed to challenge and prepare his players for what’s coming.

That’s why the Lady Mustangs are 55-38 in district play with two district titles, three bi-district championships, have won three area games, two regional quarterfinal contests, and reached the regional tournament twice.

In the last 20 years, the Mustangs have been at the regional tournament once and advanced to the playoffs a handful of times. In 2022-23, the Mustangs won their first district title in two decades.

“He built a strong girls program,” athletic director Keri Timmerman said of Berkman. “We knew the girls were going to play really hard.”

Part of why Berkman was appointed to the position is because of his ability to see the “needs of our kids,” Timmerman said.

“We want to build a high-level program,” he said. “His family is here, he’s stable. The kids will be taken care of. He’ll stay and build the program.”

John Berkman, who graduated from Marble Falls about 25 years ago, played for his dad, Larry Berkman. The elder Berkman, who is now a Marble Falls ISD trustee, spent 22 years working for the school district as a biology teacher and boys basketball head coach.

John Berkman’s wife, Marble Falls Elementary School Assistant Principal Lauren Berkman, also is a Marble Falls graduate. Daughters Mya and Alyssa graduated from Marble Falls High School in 2018 and 2023, while son Beckett is a Marble Falls High freshman, and Collins is a sixth-grader at Marble Falls Middle School.

Timmerman noted the job drew 30 applicants that included “very high level (Class) 6A first assistants.”

Berkman was among the applicants, the athletic director said, adding that he doesn’t approach current staff members about job openings.

“I like for them to take the first step,” he said. “He said he’d like to be considered for it.”

Timmerman said Berkman works along side him in sports administration as they consider the top objective.

“How do we figure out how to serve our guys and girls,” he said.

Because it’s a state job, the girls basketball head coaching position will be posted and the school district will accept applications. Timmerman said he will sit down with Marble Falls High School Principal Patrick Hinson and talk about the girls position.

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