John Werner
Class of 1971
Honorary Inductee, Soccer
 
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry – Oneonta
Master of Science in Education – Oneonta
 
Athletic Bio
Four-year member of the soccer team
Team Co-Captain and All-SUNYAC as a senior
SUNY Chancellor's Scholar Athlete of the Year, 1970-71
 
Professional Bio
Teacher and Coach at Arlington (VT) High School, 30+ years
Winningest soccer coach in Vermont High School history
Teams won seven Vermont State championships
1995 National Federation of Interscholastic Coaches Association Coach of the Year
Four-time NSCAA New England High School Coach of the Year
Six-time Vermont Soccer Coaches Association Vermont High School Coach of the Year
Inducted into Vermont Principal's Association Hall of Fame in 2004
Head men's soccer coach at Castleton State (2004-12)
 
Personal Reflections
While it would be unfair to say no one loves its alma mater as much as I do, I am comfortable saying no one loves his or hers anymore!  My academic, athletic and social experiences at Oneonta have brought me the successes that I have had as a coach, administrator and teacher.
 
In the late winter of 1967, as I was making my decision on where to attend college, I visited Oneonta.  On our tour, we stopped by the pool where it turned out that Ted Bears, a senior butterfly stroke specialist, was swimming his last collegiate dual meet.  The fact that he had never lost a race added to the atmosphere, and it was the most electric setting I had ever witnessed.  Ted won the race, and I knew right then that Oneonta was where I wanted to go!
 
Arriving as a walk on soccer player, the tryouts were pretty intense.  The new guys were scrimmaging against the veterans, and I collided with a senior back.  Although my ankle hurt, I kept playing, as I knew this was my one chance to make an impression.  Later that night the pain was pretty bad and I walked to the college infirmary, and then was transported to the hospital with a broken ankle.  I often say this was a lucky break, as all I could do the first semester was study and so I got off to a good start academically as chemistry major!  Wonderful professors like Dr. Pence, Dr. Dixon, Dr. Horner and their colleagues were tough but caring, and I loved my courses. 
 
I made the soccer team the next three years, but the first two weren't anything special. I often played as a left-winger those years. I loved being part of the team, would have run through a wall for Coach Stam, and worked hard to contribute where I could.  In the spring of my junior year, I started playing at right back.  Coach Stam saw this and liked what he saw, so when I returned for my senior year that was where he played me.  He showed a confidence in me that made me a better player, and I never forgot that lesson in my 40 years as a soccer coach at both the high school and college level.  When Coach appointed me captain along with Joe Howarth who was a freshman from England, my confidence grew again.  It is very safe to say that Coach Stam was and still is one of the biggest influences in my life.  The lessons were simple:  do the right thing!  "You can't run easy and expect to win the race.  "Topping off my career with an All SUNYAC selection and the Chancellor's Award for the SUNYAC Scholar Athlete were honors that I have always been so proud to receive. 
 
We went 9-2 in 1970.  One of the losses was to powerhouse Brockport in the mud at home.  We had an incredible team.  Four-year teammates like Werner Kluefer and Jim Flint, and a freshmen class that included future professional players like Joe Howarth and Altie Mckenzie made a great blend.
 
Our last game was a 3-2 win at Plattsburgh.  In a bit of irony, 34 years later in 2004 when I became a collegiate coach at Castleton, my first game was at Plattsburgh!
 
I consider myself very blessed to have received my education (Bachelors and Masters) from Oneonta.  The influences of my coaches and professors, many of who I am still in touch with all these years later, are priceless.
 
I still bleed Oneonta red!  Go Red Dragons!!
 
Werner, along with five former student athletes will be part of the 16^th SUNY Oneonta Athletics Hall of Fame class to be inducted on Saturday, Sep. 13.  This year's class will bring the number of inductees to 115 and eight Honorary.  The induction will take place in the Dewar Arena of the Alumni Field House and will begin at noon.  The induction is free and open to the public.