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I was in John’s first class at Harvard School. He succeeded two veterans — Ray Michaud and Frank Magusin — and had pretty big shoes to fill. I thought, “Who is this short guy with a Boston accent?”
The first time I got in trouble with him, he called my friends and me into his office. He said, “You guys are a clique and I’m going to be watching you.” We respected John. We were a rowdy group, but he knew how to connect with us.
He had the ability to let us go places and then reel us back in. He provided direction and motivation. When I switched careers to become a teacher and joined a startup school, I went to John for advice — for direction personally and for the school. We often talked for hours. What distinguishes John is his availability. He’s a great listener and he has a genuine sense of caring.
— Monty Minchin ’83
My introduction to John came while playing soccer in Middle School and then baseball. From the beginning, I felt a strong connection with him. He always knew the right thing to say to a group of younger kids.
He had this notorious coaching style — an East Coast hockey mentality. He carried 30 people on the soccer team. Instead of substituting one or two players at a time, he made line changes. The time that I spent playing for John was integral to my development. I loved sports but had seen it as an individual rather than a group effort.
John helped me grasp the concept of teamwork and relying on others to accomplish goals. It changed my perspective on what it means to be competitive and successful. Now I’m 15 years removed from that experience. But what drives my success today is my ability to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and accomplish goals through collaboration.
— Zach Schwartz ’98
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