APRIL 24, 2009
Hall from page 20A football and basketball, but it soon became apparent to all that his main desire and focus was on becoming an outstanding football lineman. John earned his JV letter as a sophomore and worked tirelessly on his technique. As a junior, he blossomed into an outstanding two-way lineman – tough, fast, aggressive and above all, intelligent. He became an integral part of Liberty’s outstanding offensive and defensive lines and was rewarded by being selected to the Second Team AllEBAL defensive unit. By the 1969 season, John had become the quiet but tough and aggressive leader of a team that would go undefeated. He was chosen co-captain in 1969 and was selected All-EBAL First Team as an offensive and defensive player. Always mentally in the game, John broke through on defense against Amador High School, stole a handoff and rambled into the end zone to score, jump-starting the Lions, who at the time were struggling. The team went on to score 12 points in the final six minutes to tie the game and gain the co-championship. After high school, John attended Diablo Valley College and lettered in 1970 and ’71, starting as offensive guard in ’71. Upon leaving DVC, he played and lettered for Linfield College from 1972 through ’75 and was selected All-Northwest Conference offensive guard in 1974, All-NAIA District II offensive guard in 1974 and All-Northwest (small college) offensive guard in 1974. As a member of the Wildcat football team, John played in the National Playoffs
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in 1975 and on two Northwest Conference Championship Teams in 1972 and ’75. John was rewarded for his stellar senior season in ’75 by being selected to the All-Northwest Conference First Team Offensive Line, and was named Unanimous Choice and Little All-Northwest All-Star Offensive Line (selected by Pacific Northwest Sportswriters). Upon graduating from Linfield College, John taught high school in three districts in Oregon from 1976-’94 and coached football with outstanding success. His teams played for three Oregon State championships, winning two in 1977 and ’81. He was selected for the prestigious honor of Oregon’s East-West Shrine Coach in 1982. In 1982, he was honored by his Alma Mater by being inducted into the Linfield College Coaches Hall of Fame. He was also the recipient of several Coach of the Year awards during his career. In 1994, John left coaching and high school teaching to become a school administrator in Page, Ariz., where he served as an assistant superintendent for the Page Unified School District from 1994 to’97. He left Arizona in 1997 and is presently the superintendent of the Atascadero Unified School District in Atascadero, Calif. John earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Linfield College and completed his administrative credential at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. and Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. John and his wife, Teri, have two children: Heidi, who resides in Newport, Ore. and is a teacher; and David, see Hall page 22A
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