Mens soccer coach plans to retire
Castleton men’s soccer coach John Werner has decided to call it quits after an illustrious 40-year career coaching men’s soccer at the high school and college level.
“It was very unexpected,” Junior Midfielder Spencer Dandurand said. “He never hinted at it he just told us”.
Werner has coached Castleton’s men’s team for the last nine years and has led the Spartans to three North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championships in 2004, 2007 and 2008. All three of those championships have also led to berths in the NCAA Division III tournament. He has also won the NAC Coach of the Year award three times and led Castleton to an undefeated NAC season in 2010.
“After 40 years as a head soccer coach and a total of 680 games, it is time to retire,” said Werner, in an interview with Jeff Weld, Director of College Relations and Sports Information. “With my wife Judy retiring from Arlington High at the end of this school year, we have plans to travel, enjoy a less hectic schedule and spend more time with our grandson. I am extremely grateful to for the opportunity to coach at Castleton, with special thanks to President Wolk, Associate Dean of Athletics and Recreation Deanna Tyson, Senior Associate Director of Athletics Tim Barrett, and of course two members of my staff who have been with me the whole time, Paul Storey and Scott French. I plan to still be involved in the beautiful game and will always support Castleton Soccer!”
As a high school coach at Arlington Memorial high school he became the all-time leader in wins as a coach in Vermont high school history amassing a 346-108-31 record in 31 seasons.
“He was always real excited for our players after games,” Sophomore Forward Bryce Kaler said. “‘Just Win Baby’ was a saying he would always tell us”.
Werner has won numerous awards for coaching including National coach of the year in 1995, four-time New England high school coach of the year and six-time Vermont high school coach of the year.
“Castleton was very fortunate to hire John when he resigned from his many successful years of high school coaching,” said Associate Dean of Athletics and Recreation Deanna Tyson, in an interview with Weld. “He has touched the lives of so many of our young men, bringing great success while maintaining sportsmanship in our soccer program. He is a great mentor to our younger coaches and will be greatly missed in our department.”
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