FORK UNION, VA– Fork Union Military Academy is proud to announce the appointment of Frank Arritt as head post graduate football coach and Mark Shuman as head prep football coach, the Academy released Monday morning. 
 
"Frank Arritt is a product of our post graduate program and has been my personal assistant for 13 years," said Director of Athletics John Shuman. "He performed all aspects of the program with great spirit and cooperation. He is a grind now, shine later person. Mark Shuman is a homegrown talent with a great personality, which attracts cadets and players. He has an awesome pedigree from a coaching family. I am excited to see our department grow under the new direction."
 
Arritt, a Fayetteville, W.Va., native, has been John Shuman's right-hand-man and assistant head coach for the last 13 years. The Fork Union Military Academy alumnus played for John Shuman in 1998-1999 and received a full scholarship to Arkansas State University to play offensive line. 
 
Arritt lettered for three seasons and became the starting offensive guard his senior year. He graduated in 2005 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.
 
Following graduation, Arritt returned to Fork Union in the fall of 2005 as a night watchman for five months prior to becoming a faculty member in the Social Studies department. Arritt has been in the classroom ever since and was recently promoted to the Social Studies Department Head in 2016. 
 
As the assistant head post graduate coach, Arritt helped mentor a number of offensive men, including Anthony Castonzo (a first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and who just recently played in the NFL Playoffs this past weekend as starting offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts), Morgan Moses (a third round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and the starting offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins), Austin Pasztor (the fourth overall pick in the 2012 CFL Draft and is an offensive guard for the Tennessee Titans) and Sterling Palmer (a 2017 graduate who was recently named to the College Football All-Bowl Team as a tight end for Florida International). 
 
Arritt is the son of Maria Arritt and the late David Arritt and the nephew of legendary postgraduate basketball coach Fletcher Arritt. Arritt and his wife Megan, of six years, have three children: Hope (4), Frank, Jr. (2) and Joy (7 months). 
 
"I would like to thank Fork Union Military Academy, President Col. David Coggins, and Director of Athletics John Shuman for this opportunity," said Arritt. "It is an honor to be named head coach of the Fork Union post graduate football team. It's a great blessing to be a part of this legendary program that was started by Coach Red Pulliam and has continued on with Coach Shuman. I appreciate the opportunity of following in Coach Shuman's footsteps and I do not take this position lightly. I have huge shoes to fill, but I am looking forward to carrying on his legacy. In the last 13 years that I have worked under Coach Shuman, he has taught me selflessness and to never waiver from Fork Union's motto of Body, Mind and Spirit."
 
Mark Shuman, the son of John and Patricia Shuman, will take over the prep football team following former head coach Mike Hooper as the ninth head coach in program history. 
 
Mark Shuman grew up in Fork Union and enrolled in the Academy as a sixth grader in 2003. The 2010 graduate played for Coach Mickey Sullivan for three years and helped the Blue Devils to a 2007 Prep League Championship. 
 
Mark Shuman was a recipient of the Sullivan and Paul Frederick Cobb award while at Fork Union. The Sullivan Award is presented to Prep football players who demonstrated the qualities exemplified by Coach Mickey Sullivan: always positive, fiercely persistent, dedicated students, charismatic communicators, and dedicated to their faith. The Paul Frederick Cobb Award is awarded to the non-varsity football player who is considered most valuable to this team and who displays the high qualities of character and sportsmanship. 
 
As a highly recruited prospect, Mark Shuman signed a National Letter of Intent with Virginia Tech to play for legendary coach Frank Beamer. Plagued by injuries, the offensive lineman lettered in 2013 and graduated in 2014 with a degree in Sociology. 
 
Mark Shuman returned to his hometown in 2016 and has worked in the Commandants Department for the past three years. In addition to the Commandants Department, Mark Shuman coached two seasons with the prep football team, as the offensive and defensive line coach prior to being promoted to the post graduate football team in 2018. 
 
Both Arritt and Mark Shuman helped Coach John Shuman to his first-ever undefeated season in 2018. 
 
"It is an honor and privilege to be named the next head prep football coach of Fork Union Military Academy," said Mark Shuman. "Growing up in Fork Union and being a product of the Academy only makes this feeling more surreal for me. I want to thank Col. David Coggins, Col. Tony Moss and Director of Athletics John Shuman for this opportunity. I am excited to try to get the prep program back to where it was."
 
Mark Shuman is the grandson of Bill and Jell Miller, who both worked at the Academy for over 30 years serving many roles in the Athletic Department. 
 
The Athletics Department will hold a press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 10:15 a.m. in the Thomas Gymnasium to formally announce the two hires.
 
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