John Shacklett

Morse High School

Head Coach

John Shacklett, head football coach at Morse High School for the past 30 years, is this year's Distinguished American. Shacklett has coached many championship football teams throughout his career, but he has consistently prepared his players for a bigger game, the game of life.
Shacklett has been a coach, a father figure, a teacher, a disciplinarian. He has had his share of triumphs. He has had his share of disappointments. But always, throughout this coaching career, Shacklett has been an educator. His players have graduated; many have gone on to prestigious colleges and universities. Some have even made it to the National Football League.
From the surrounding Skyline neighborhood where Morse High School is located, Shacklett has seen young men enter high school without goals, without dreams, and with only their athletic ability to hold on to. He taught them discipline. He taught them responsibility. He taught them values. And he taught them the value of an education as a teacher at San Diego High School from 1964 to 1971, and at Morse High School from 1971 to the present.
In addition to head football coach, Shacklett is director of athletics at Morse High School, a position he has held since 1976. He is magnet coordinator at Morse and project manager for San Diego Athletic City Schools. In the community, he has served as a member of the Hall of Champions Board of Directors, president of the California Coaches Association, and president of the High School Sports Association of San Diego, among many, many others.
In football, Shacklett has compiled a 223-92-9 record, led his teams to 18 Eastern League championships, and five CIF San Diego Sectional championships. His 1990 football team was considered “Best Ever in San Diego,” ranked number one in the state, and number four in the nation by USA Today. He has been named Los Angeles Times Coach of the Year, San Diego Athletic Director of the Year, San Diego Press Club Coach of the Year, and the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Meritorious Coach of the Year.
Shacklett obtained a bachelor of science degree in political science and history from San Diego State University, and a master of arts in social studies from Azusa Pacific University. He has attended San Diego City College and Brigham Young University.
Coach, author, teacher, lecturer, civic leader. Those are only a few of the words that describe this year's Distinguished American, John Shacklett.