Zoë Lam/Jefferson Jimplecute
For the past 13 years, Mark Allen has been the foundation of Jefferson High School’s girls’ basketball program. When he arrived, the program was at rock bottom with little ambition, a lack of winning culture, and a history of early season exits.
But with patience, passion and a belief in his athletes, Allen built something special. Now, after 11 post-season appearances in 13 seasons, his time at Jefferson is coming to an unexpected end.
Allen’s coaching journey began long before he set foot in Jefferson. As a head basketball coach for 39 years with over 650 wins, he found himself moving back to the place he called home to continue to do what he loves; coach. When he took over the Jefferson program, it was more of a marathon than a sprint, struggling for wins and recognition.
“When I came here, the girls’ program hadn’t really had any success in a long period of time and Coach Bennett brought me in and wanted me to get some respect back for our girls’ program and run it right,” Allen said.
And he did. Under his leadership, the Jefferson girls became a powerhouse in East Texas. Allen’s teams weren’t just competitive, they were consistent, on and off the court. With 11 playoff runs in 13 years, he turned the program into one of the most respected in the region.
Beyond the wins and banners, Allen takes the most pride in the relationships he’s built with his players. He’s coached multiple athletes who went on to play different sports at the collegiate level, but his biggest satisfaction comes from seeing his former players succeed in life beyond basketball.
“I hope they take away that Coach Allen and Mrs. Debi Allen are family and they can reach out to us at any point that they need to throughout life and if we can help them out down the road, we would in a heartbeat,” Allen said.
Despite his countless accomplishments, Allen recently learned that his time at Jefferson is coming to an end. With a new athletic director in place, a shift in leadership philosophy has led to a decision for Allen to move on to his next endeavors.
“I thought I had about two or three more years in me,” Allen said. “But I’m proud of what we built here. I know the program is in a much better place than when I started.”
While his future in coaching remains uncertain, Allen plans on spending some more time on Caddo Lake with his family and friends where he can sit back and decompress. Wherever he goes or whatever he does, he will bring the same passion and dedication that turned Jefferson’s program around.
As Jefferson basketball moves forward, it does so on the foundation that Mark Allen built. Whether on the court or in another role, his influence on the program and the players he coached will not be forgotten.
“I hope that I am remembered as being passionate for our girls and being a father figure to them and realizing that through hard work and dedication, you can be successful. I hope they realize the passion that I had for the game and the family part of it is the thing that I want to be the most remembered for, that I was here for them,” said Allen.