Born in Washington D.C., John grew up in Tacoma, graduating from Stadium High School in 1966. During his teenage years, John was devoted to sports and music. He went to Central Washington University on a choral scholarship. While at Central, John became a fan of the basketball team, and particularly the coaching style of Hall of Fame Coach, Dean Nicholson. John graduated in 1970 with a social sciences degree in education.
John began his coaching career in 1971. He teamed with a childhood friend, Pete Guzzo, to coach the fifth grade Peerless Laundry Bombers to a 9 – l record and the Tacoma City League championship. Shortly thereafter, John met his future wife, Joan, and they moved to Vancouver.
In Vancouver, John began his teaching career at Shumway Junior High, where he also coached.
There he was fortunate enough to work with a Vancouver legend, Herm Jones. Two years later, John took a job at Mcloughlin Junior High. His six year record at Mcloughlin was 47 – 13, and as the school’s track coach, was twice named Vancouver School District’s coach of the year.
In 1981, John moved across town to work in the Evergreen School District, where he was an assistant basketball coach at Mountain View High School, and the head track coach at Covington Junior High. In six years at Mount View, the Thunder went to state three times, placing third in 1986. Among the players John coached was Duke Wallenborn, a two-time all-stater and the 1986 Washington state Gatorade player of the year.
John became the head basketball coach at Evergreen High School in 1987. He coached the Plainsmen for 14 seasons, compiling a record of 225 – 93. During his tenure, Evergreen won six Greater St. Helens League titles and five Southwest Washington district championships. In five trips to state, John’s teams claimed a first, a third and two fourth place finishes. He was named GSHL coach of the year four times, and state coach of the year in 1995.
The highlight was the 1994 – 95 season. Evergreen completed a perfect 26 – 0 season and won the Class 4A State Championship. It was one of the few unbeaten big school teams during the past 30 years in Washington. The 94 – 95 Plainsmen were regionally ranked by USA Today and Scholastic Sports magazine. John’s 1999 – 2000 was 25 – l, losing its only game in the state semifinals to eventual champion, Walla Walla.
In 14 years oat Evergreen, John coached many players who went on to play college basketball, including five in Division l. Seven of his fonner players, and a nephew, are currently coaching basketball in Washington.
John credits much of his success to the help of many talented assistant coaches. The program took off once he hired veteran assistant Ken Naslund, who convinced John that one key to a successful program was a pressing defense. John concluded his career at Evergreen in 2001 – 02 after he was able to fulfill a dream and coach his son Drew during his junior and senior seasons. John retired from Evergreen after the 2003 – 04 school year. Upon his daughter Nicole’s graduation from evergreen in 2004, the Tripletts moved to Yakima.
Retirement didn’t last long for John. He was offered a chance to coach the girls basketball team at Eisenhower during the fall of 2004. Under John, the Cadets won two Big Nine championships, with a two-year league record of 29 – 1. Eisenhower went to state both years, and finished fourth at the 2006 tourney, and had a combined record of 55 – 6. Three members of the 2005 – 06 team are currently playing Division l College Basketball.
In 16 years of high school coaching, John’s teams were 280 – 99, won eight league titles and participated in seven state tournaments, placing five times.
John has three children, Michael, thirty-seven, a graduate of the University of Washington currently teaching in Atlanta’ Drew, twenty
-three, a recent graduate of Washington State University, and Nicole, twenty-one, a student at Washington State University. Joan is currently working in Yakima at the ESD l 05. John remains involved in basketball, as he finished his first season as an assistant men’s coach at Yakima Valley Community College.
