John played four years of basketball and baseball at St. Vincent’s High School, Plymouth. He was a member of the 1957 Vinnies unbeaten PCIAA state basketball championship team and the 1960 Scranton Diocesan championship team. He was second baseman on the Vinnies Catholic League 1959 championship team and named to the Catholic Lights All-Star team. After graduation, he spent several years in suburban Philadelphia competing in the East Coast softball league. Upon his return to the Valley, he became a registered PIAA basketball and football official. John served as director of the Mountain Top Area Basketball League for 7 years, officiating and supervising the Valley’s premier basketball league for high school and college players. He retired from basketball after 22 years officiating many league and district playoffs. He completed 36 years as a member of the Wyoming Valley Mickey Noonan Chapter of Football Officials. Officiating numerous conference and district championships, he was selected to work the PIAA Class AA Championship game in State Finals in 2000. He was also selected to work 12 UNICO All-Star games. He was an active ASA umpire over 25 years and served as District I commissioner 1976-1996, responsible for over 500 teams and 150 umpires. He also served as tournament director for several national and state championships. John resides in Plymouth with his wife, the former Janet Rubic. They are the parents of three, Carrie Diction, Tracy Cox and John Rokosz II, and have seven grandchildren, Nicholas, Adam and Annsley Dicton, Kylie and Tyler Cox, Jonathan and Jacob Rokosz.