John P. Childs

Category
1995
About This Inductee

John Childs attended Athens High School in Athens, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1931. He enrolled at State Teachers College, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1936 with a B.S. in Health and Physical Education. He attended Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1941 with a M.Ed. in Health and Physical Education. He also attended New York University, New York, N.Y. He attended various coaching schools in the summers through 1938-1966. From 1936 until 1941, John was the basketball, soccer, and track coach at Waverly High School in Waverly, Pennsylvania. He was also Physical Education instructor at Waverly. From 1941-1942, he taught Physical Education and Mathematics, and was assistant basketball, track, and football coach at Sayre High School. John was a Lieutenant and Physical Training Officer in the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1945. From 1945 until 1947, John was Physical Education instructor, football, basketball, and baseball coach at St. Mary’s High School. He was the football, basketball, and track coach at Athens Area High School from 1947 to 1962. He also taught Physical Education at the school. From 1962 until the present he is Physical Education and Health instructor, and track and cross-country coach for the Sayre Area High School, Sayre, Pennsylvania. He was football coach until 1966. Until 1988 he taught and coached athletics in the Valley. John’s coaching records include 156 wins-50 losses-3 ties in football; 235 wins-10 losses-2 ties in track, with a 1st in State in ’66, 2nd in State in ’67, 3rd in State in ’51 and ’64, 4th in State in ’63, and 5th in State in ’61 and ’62. In cross-country he had 4 Penn relay winners, 15 District Championships in the last nineteen years, and 12 undefeated seasons. His cross-country record is 34 wins and 1 loss. At various times he has served as Physical Director and Swimming Instructor at Crossdale Manor, Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania; Boy Scout Director at Lake Tingley, Pennsylvania; Swimming Instructor at New York University (five summers); Camp Counselor at Camp Kewanee, La Plume, Pennsylvania; Swimming Instructor and Life Guard at Valley Memorial Swimming Pool, Sayre, Pennsylvania (1952-1965); Swimming Instructor and Life Guard at Tioga Country Club, Nichols, New York (1966). John Childs who celebrated his 81st birthday on May 9, resides with his wife Margaret in Litchfield on a 10-acre country lot. They are the parents of six children, Jack, Gary, David, Eric, Craig, and Maggie.