By: Matt Rothman
North Broward Prep’s John Garrish has earned many accolades over his incredible coaching career, but his latest one tops them all.
He was recently named the 2022 National High School Strength Coach of the Year after being one of four finalists. Garrish initially received a call that he was nominated for the award by his peers. Following this, he needed letters of recommendation from campus staff members and Athletic Director Mike Ostrowski.
In addition, Garrish got “Letters of Impact” from former students who had worked with him, plus some support from his mentors Matt McGettigan, Brandon Beach, Matt Seroka, Frank Wintrich, Nick Bernal and Noah Rosado.
“Going through the process was such an honor,” said Garrish. “Just hearing and seeing what my colleagues and peers on campus thought about my time here was special. Then to hear I won at Coach Bernalo’s graduation party was a really exciting moment.”
Garrish attended Boca High School, where he was a star quarterback, and played collegiately in the Air Force. After suffering several injuries, he was honorably discharged but continued to play football at Wagner College in New York City. However, after another concussion, Garrish transitioned to track and field before attending the University of North Texas as a graduate student, where he studied kinesiology.
During the summer of 2014, while working at Rutgers University, Garrish was hired at North Broward Prep. Along with teaching an intro to strength and conditioning class for middle school students, he is also the head coach of the track and field team and works with all the varsity sports teams at NBP.
“The work he puts in regularly to help the student-athletes here is incredible,” said North Broward Prep’s Marcus Dixon. “I don’t think there is anyone more deserving than Coach Garrish for this award, and he has become somewhat of a father -figure to me.”
Each summer, Garrish hosts an alumni workout at 6 a.m. Following this, he holds workouts for boys and girls and then does individual training in the evening with NBP students. Even all the success and potential opportunities working with college programs, Garrish remains committed to continuing working with high school teams.
“It’s everywhere I want to be,” Garrish added. “I have no aspiration of the college ranks because of what North Broward and the community mean to me. I feel like I am in a good place.”
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