As summer turns to fall, a familiar face coordinates the action at Anoka Ramsey Community College’s Coon Rapids campus, home to the latest Rams men’s soccer practice.

Marcus Anthony is a man with deep connections to every corner of the Robbinsdale School District, part of a rare group that can call both Armstrong and Cooper high schools. Now, he calls college sports his home.

Speaking with the Sun Post following a recent trial and practice day at Anoka Ramsey Community College, Anthony spoke on the way his journey prepared him for his latest post.

“The foundation I had in high school was the easiest thing to take here into this job,” Anthony said. “My vision was always to come into the collegiate level, so, the system is the same. So, we do the two-a-day practices just like I used to do at Armstrong. My vision was always to show kids, if you’re planning to go to college we should show you what the collegiate experience would look like. Stuff like two-a-day’s, even if it makes you tired, is a part of that. It teaches you time management, recovery, nutrition. … In a way, high school also is the foundation of how we view recruitment. It taught me how to see who I have available and find the strengths they can bring.”

Anthony’s journey

Anthony, who was born in New York City but grew up in the Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda, is a Robbinsdale Cooper alum, playing high school soccer for the Hawks for several years, before committing to play NAIA college soccer at Graceland University.

An injury changed Anthony’s direction toward coaching, a path that led him to a return to the district. He took up the post as head coach for Robbinsdale Armstrong from 2020 to 2024, amid a decade of time working with Park Valley United and Fusion Soccer Club.

The Falcons were solid in 2021, going 7-9, but rose even further with a 12-4-1 season in 2022. The team went 6-7-4 the following year, before Anthony departed prior to the fall of 2024.

The Cooper-alum has since started a new chapter as a college soccer coach, taking up the head coaching position at Anoka Ramsey.

The Anoka Ramsey Rams are among the top junior-college men’s soccer teams in Minnesota and one of 19 members in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, all but one of whom are located in-state. Anthony has faced some tough opposition in his two years as head coach thus far. He went 3-2-1 in conference and 6-6-2 overall in 2024, before earning a 2-2-1 in-conference and 2-7-1 record in 2025.

Anthony views his score role as one of teaching and sharing, noting that he knows he has lessons to share for the present and the future.

“In the end, it’s just about shared experience. My experience is what I can share with these guys,” Anthony continued. “Whether it clicks for them then and there, or clicks somewhere later in their life, that’s just life and I look at it as positive either way. But, that’s also why it is important to have my returning players that come back each year, because they bridge that gap for me and they can talk to the guys and show them what the lessons are all about.”

Anthony is also happy to move players on to bigger opportunities when the stars align, something that has become a more-and-more celebrated part of junior college (JUCO) opportunities.

“I tell my guys all the time, if you have aspirations to go further up the ladder, I’ll help you,” he explained. “No problem. Even if it’s after one year, I’ll still help you make connections, because I want this experience to go the way you want it to. I use the same tools we have as high school coaches to see what coaches at higher levels are looking for and when something lines up we try to make it happen.”

Economic factors

Anoka Ramsey is a distinct level of college sports to work in, something Anthony has learned to embrace and make the most of.

“We’re JUCO DIII, so we don’t offer scholarships,” he observed. “More kids are going to take the deal at a JUCO DII school where you can get a scholarship. But for me, the way through that is just character. If you want to be here, you’re open-minded, and you’re intentional about being a good teammate and student, we will work with you. … At the end of the day, we pick the best group of players. As much as I want wins, this is all very much about the academic side as well. The goal is to mold young men as they step into adulthood.”

Despite challenges when competing with other opportunities and schools, Anthony remains proud to help facilitate playing opportunities for players who need a more affordable option.

“If you go to a four-year school, you might end up paying $80,000, maybe more. And that is what it is, but for some people that just won’t work,” Anthony continued. “I tell kids all the time that if I had known what schools like this really offered, I might’ve started at JUCO. … Here, depending on what exactly you’re doing, it can be like $4,800 for a year. … It’s a way to get your fundamentals, as a student too, and then if something bigger comes down the road later, that’s great. But, in the meantime, you can save some money, stay close to your family.”