John Charles McGrath Jr.

John was born on September 19, 1942, in Newark, NJ to the late John Charles McGrath, Sr. and Helen McBride McGrath. Originally from Bloomfied, New Jersey, John attended Bloomfield High School where he earned numerous athletic honors and awards including the John Lobel Award and his induction into the Bloomfield Athletic Hall of Fame. John earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Springfield College (Massachusetts) in 1964 and a master’s degree in physical education administration from Bemidji State in 1965.

John taught physical education classes at Bemidji State, Keystone Junior College, Springfield College, and SUNY Cortland. He served as an assistant freshman basketball coach at Springfield, assistant basketball coach and track coach at Bemidji State, assistant soccer and baseball coach at SUNY Cortland and head soccer, basketball, and baseball coach at Keystone for two years. John’s coaching record at Keystone stood at an impressive 17-1-1 and the team finished in the top four in the National Junior College Championships, leading to John being hired as the head soccer coach at West Virginia University.

John served as the West Virginia University men’s soccer coach from 1969-95 and is the program’s all time winningest coach with 202 victories while amassing 17 winning seasons on his way being inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 2020 class.

John served as a professor at the WVU College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences while assisting in establishing and leading WVU’s Athletic Coaching Education (ACE) program prior to his retirement in 2004.

John enjoyed watching his Mountaineers and loved to compete with faculty and staff members in a variety of sports including racquetball, where he never turned down a challenge because he was “the best.”

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Huffman McGrath; his daughter, Cherylen St. John (Craig); his son, Dr. John Ryan McGrath (Lindsey); his grandson Grant Michael St. John; his grandson, Riley Thomas McGrath; and his grandson, Aiden John McGrath.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 30 at 11:00 am at First Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Greene County United Soccer Club.

https://www.greenesoccer.org/

P.O. Box 23 Waynesburg, PA 15370.