Personal Best: A Profile of Coach John McDonough

Despite frequent moves throughout his childhood, Coach John McDonough has always considered Boston his home base. "I'm a native Bostonian. My family's all from up here," he says.

For four years, McDonough has served as Boston Latin's athletic director, in addition to more than two decades as a football coach at the school. As much as McDonough enjoys leading the Wolfpack to victory, he states his main goal of his role as presenting "young people with a positive experience and being sure they've got the proper tools, equipment and coaching."

Not always an easy task, as McDonough well knows. With two consecutive years of cuts to his budget - one that already dwarfs those of his counterparts in the suburban Dual County League - McDonough often faces an uphill battle to provide what is needed for the school's roster of 44 teams, fielding 14 sports for boys and the same number for girls. As athletic director, he has responsibility for all of them, from hiring coaches to scheduling competitions, from arranging transportation to competitions that are away to making sure athletes have the equipment and uniforms. "Just all the nuts and bolts," he says.

Despite the challenges, he is quick to point out that the 2003-04 school year produced three DCL championship teams, one city championship, 44 DCL all stars and three all-scholastic athletes, and he considers athletics an important part of a well-rounded education. "Beside the fact that it's an outlet - a release for kids after school - it's also a character builder," he says.

In addition to his love for sports, young McDonough's own character was influenced by having a father in the military. His dad's duties took McDonough and his two sisters all over the country - from Connecticut to Oklahoma to Georgia "and always back and forth here to Massachusetts." The family also moved outside the United States, to Japan and Newfoundland. "In fifth grade, I went to school in three different states - Logansport, Indiana, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Boston, Massachusetts," he recalls. He matriculated to Boston Latin as a Sixie, but was only able to attend the school for half a year before another military move took the family out of state once again.

McDonough graduated from high school in Oklahoma and stayed on to attend Oklahoma State University. Thanks to the draft, he followed in his father's footsteps upon graduating, going straight into the military. "I was told, 'Don't bother looking for a job, we have one for you," he says. "That was back in the 1960s." He served in the Army for two years.

He returned to Oklahoma to attend graduate school and then moved back to Boston in 1972. He taught physical education at the Mary E. Curley Middle School for 29 years, also serving as an assistant principal for the final 12 years of his tenure there. A few years after starting at Mary E. Curley, McDonough added coaching for Boston Latin to his roster. He has coached for Latin School for the past 23 years and has served as athletic director since the retirement of Coach Paul Costello in 2001.

After all that moving around during his childhood, he was finally back home in Boston to stay.

Written by Stan Wedeking for the 2004 Fall Bulletin

The Wish List, continued...

The BLS Athletic Department seeks funding for the following identified needs. Sports-minded supporters are encouraged to contact Alumni Relations Director Lynn Flaherty at blsa@blsa.org, or call (617) 450-0004 x127.

Sports, cont.
Baseball
* pitching machine: $1,700
* catcher's gear: $250
* batting helmets: $240
* bats: $600

Tennis
* balls: $1,000
* girl's outfits: $1000
* warm-ups: $1000

Softball
* pitching machine: $1,200
* catcher's gear: $250
* batting helmets: $240;
* bats: $350

Crew
*cri- fees: $2,500
* transportation fees to Worcester: $2,000

Boys' & Girls' Volleyball
* new net system: $2,400

Sailing
* Gore-Tex jackets: $420

Cheerleading
* warm-ups: $1,000

Fitness Equipment Used to Train All Teams
* Mini hurdles - two sets: $40
* Six smart hurdles: $360
* Three tape measures: $45
* Two power balls: $70
* Vertical jump test system: $500
* Pylometric box set: $730
* Standing long jump system: $200
* Four go cords: $80
* Two over-speed cords: $180
* Two step-up boxes: $450
* Three power chutes: $300

For the Gym
* Custom scorer's table: $2,500
* Cushioned logo game chairs: $2,500
* Possession arrow: $200

To Begin a Lacrosse Program
* Two coaches for each team: $10,000
* Six nets: $1,800
* Four goalie chest protectors: $200
* Uniform jerseys: $30 each
* Uniform shorts/skirts: $25 each
* Transportation expenses depend on the number of games booked; the average trip expense per away game would be approximately $300.