4/19/07

Manning High grad, Newberry Academy coach Lesaine is living the dream
By Philip Gibbons

Photo courtesy of The Newberry Observer

John Lesaine in action at a Newberry Academy game. The Manning High alum is making a quick start on a great future.

Not many people are traveling the road to success at age 21. But for John Lesaine, that journey has begun in haste.

His career started in high school. He didn’t play sports but was a student assistant basketball coach for the junior and senior girls varsity teams. After four years and a 79-33 record, Lesaine was offered a scholarship at Newberry College, a private liberal-arts school located in the midland’s town of the same name.

After graduating from Manning High in 2004, he began coaching Newberry’s girl’s basketball team at the age of eighteen, while majoring in sport management. The rewards began right away. Not only has he claimed a “couple of championships,” he proudly holds the honor of being one of the youngest coaches in the history of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

And the past two years have been especially promising for Lesaine. In 2006, he took on the head coaching responsibilities for the girls basketball program at Newberry Academy, a small, private school about the size of Clarendon Hall.

“We had a successful season … eighteen wins and seven losses. I thought it was going to be a tough year, because we lost a lot of talent from last year’s team. But it turned out much better than I expected. It was a lot of hard work, but a great experience,” Lesaine said.

For his efforts, Lesaine was voted SCISA Region I-1A Coach of the Year and in 2006 was listed in Who’s Who Among American Students in Colleges and Universities, a very prestigious academic award.

As for future plans, Lesaine has many more goals in mind. He was recently offered a graduate assistant position for the women’s basketball team at Valdosta State University in Georgia.

“They’re great people, have had success in the past, and will be successful for years to come,” he said.

He also plans to go to graduate school, where he will major in higher education leadership.

Other than coaching and going to class, John Lesaine holds a variety of other positions. He was voted School Ambassador for 2006-2007, and is currently a member of the Physical Education Club, Blue Key Honors Fraternity and the Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society.

Winning two college championships, one SCISA championship, coaching women’s basketball, and being voted a Region Coach of the Year is certainly no small task, nor was it easy. But with much more to come, things are certainly looking up for John Lesaine.

“I’m excited to be living my dream at such an early age. The fact that I’m the youngest coach in the state of South Carolina is neat all in itself. It’s been a fun ride.”