John was born in Seattle then moved to Yakima in 2nd grade. He played many sports while growing up but his passion was for basketball which he developed on the “asphalt courts of Nob Hill Elementary” and became the primary focus in high school where he was a 3-year letterman and named All-League Big 8 Conference and team captain his senior year. In 1971 he graduated from Eisenhower High School. Following graduation, John had some interest from colleges to continue basketball but that was interrupted by the military draft lottery. His love of basketball led to pursuing a degree in education. After earning an Associates Degree from Yakima Valley Community College in 1973, he transferred to Central Washington University attaining a BA in Physical Ed. with minors in History and Business Ed. During senior year at CWU John started his high school coaching career with the boys sophomore basketball team at Selah High School.
Following CWU graduation in 1975 John eventually received his first teaching/coaching job at Carroll High School in Yakima after a 10 minute interview 1 WEEK before school started interestingly replacing HOF Coach Hal Dodeward. John spent 10 years & 2 months from 1975-1985 at Carroll. After coaching the N team 2 years, he started an 8 year run as head coach often going head-to-head against HOF Coach Pat Fitterer and his Highland HS teams! As a 2nd year head coach, he guided the “Patriots” to the 1978-79 lA State Tournament. The 1982-83 team returned to the State lA Tournament placing 5th. Before leaving Carroll, John helped to develop the 1985-86 team that also qualified for lA State; the last year of the school. Honors: Valley A League Coach of the Year in 1979, 1983 and 1984; WIBCA “lA” Coach of the Year in 1984. Record: Head Coach 119-72, JV 30-9. Overall: 149-81 with a 6478% Winning Percentage. Assistant: Track (1976); Football (1976-1980).
John taught for 8 months at Barge-Lincoln Elementary in Yakima from 11/85-6/86 which served as a “Stepping Stone to Eisenhower.” After leaving Carroll on a Friday, he started at Barge Monday morning with Kindergartners! ! John was terrified of those “little ones” after 10 years of teaching high school. The pop song titles “Manic Monday” & “Welcome to the Jungle” were how he felt going into this experience!!
John then went to his alma mater and spent 20 years at Eisenhower High School from 1986-2006 teaching PE, History and Bus. Ed. He coached Boys Basketball for 13 years: 8 as Head Coach, 5 as an Assistant. He’s very proud of 4 State 3A appearances (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996) which are still the most in school history. Ike had only been to State twice in the 32 previous years!! Honors: Big 9 Coach of the Year in 1991, 1995; WIBCA Coach-State Team in 1993; Herald-Republic AU-Region Boys Coach in 1995. Following the 1995-96 basketball season, John resigned as Head Coach so he could spend time watching and coaching his 3 children’s AAU teams as well as assisting Eisenhower and Davis programs. Record: Head Coach 116-85, JV/Frosh 55-24. Overall: 171-109 with a .6107% Winning Percentage. Assistant: Girls Varsity Basketball Assistant (1998-2001); Boys JV Tennis (2001-2005).
John’s journey continued across town to Davis High School. What the heck is an Ike Grad and 20 year Ike teacher doing there?? John taught 9 wonderful years from 2005-2014. Elvis’s song “My Way” & “Magic Carpet Ride” summed up the conclusion of a 39+ teaching career and time as “A Pirate!” Accomplishments: Boys Varsity Basketball Assistant (2005-07, 2009-12). Part of 3 League Championships, 3 State 4A appearances (2010-2012) with a 5th Place in 2010-11 and a “STATE CHAMPIONSHIP” in 2011-12.
John’s final coaching job was at West Valley HS (Yakima) as a Girls Varsity Basketball Assistant (2016-2019).
John concluded 34 years coaching–16 years as Head Coach (235-152; a .6072% Winning Percentage), 6 years as JV/Frosh Coach (87-33; a .7250% Winning Percentage) and 12 years as a Varsity Assistant Coach (152-125; a .5448% Winning Percentage) at the 4 schools for an overall career record of 474-312; a .6031% Winning Percentage along with being part of 6 league titles and 10 State tournament appearances.
John is a 49 Year Member of WSCA, 38 Year Member of WIBCA and a 41 Year Member of the NABC. John especially thanks his last Eisenhower Coaching Staff of Jon Schroeder, Gil Hiles, Will Curley, Jeff Graf, Bill McAllister and John Low for their time and dedication. He also says “It’s a huge honor and privilege to be inducted with 28 HOF members he has associated with professionally including Pat Fitterer and Eli Juarez. In addition, he thoroughly enjoyed coaching with Bill Pandiani (Ike), Jon Schroeder (Ike) and Tyson Whitfield (WV) who have been mentors as well as good friends. John’s strengths and weaknesses complimented Pat, Eli, Bill, Jon and Tyson. John is organized, detail-oriented and sometimes an outside-the-box thinker. Most of the time they listened but said, “If I don’t take your suggestions that doesn’t mean you weren’t heard!” Their leadership, support, trust and encouragement allowed John the opportunity to have a voice, role and impact in their programs successes and he can’t thank them enough!
John is absolutely indebted to his high school coach Keith Farnam. He taught John to value the fundamentals of the game and the importance of basketball intelligence. While attending college, John was able to take classes from legendary HOF coaches Elwood Crosier and Dean Nicholson. He was also fortunate enough to work at CWU and Gonzaga Basketball Camps obtaining valuable tips from many coaches to help in building a basketball coaching philosophy and career.
John is greatly appreciative of the personal relationships that he had with many fine players and families. Those relationships are built on and off the court and can last a lifetime. The sacrifices made were the difference that enabled his successes. A coach is only as great as his players; John was fortunate enough to have a lot of great players with many”having coached or still coaching including 5 Head Coaches in the Yakima Valley.
Last but certainly not least, John gives special thanks to his wife Paula of 51 years who made the most sacrifices of everyone. The saying “behind every good man, is an even better woman” is really true. After retiring in 2014 John and Paula continue living in Yakima and summer at Lake Roosevelt! He also thanks his adult children: Jodi, Karly and Brett for all the support they have given. It was special coaching them as they grew up then following their athletic careers in high school and college. John and Paula enjoy spending time with 7 grandkids (Brynn, Hayden, Blake, Reagan, Rylee, Elly and Jax) watching their events as much as possible and encouraging them to participate in whatever they love doing!