Petition in Support of Coach John McCully

To the School Administration, School Board, Athletic Department, and Members of the Community,

We, the undersigned alumni, former players, parents, students, and supporters of our soccer program, write to express our unwavering support for Coach John McCully.

For approximately 30 years, Coach McCully has dedicated his life to serving the student-athletes of our school. During that time, he has established one of the most successful and respected programs in the state. His accomplishments speak for themselves: three state championships, countless winning seasons, multiple collegiate athletes, Division I players, and High School All-Americans. Yet his true legacy extends far beyond wins, losses, and trophies.

Coach McCully has spent three decades teaching young men the values of discipline, accountability, hard work, respect, commitment, and perseverance. He has challenged generations of players to be their best—not only as athletes, but as people. His expectations have always been high because he believes in the potential of every player who wears the uniform.

The standards he has established have helped shape countless successful adults. Former players have gone on to become college athletes, coaches, teachers, military service members, business professionals, and leaders in their communities. Many of us can confidently say that we would not be the people we are today without the lessons Coach McCully taught us.

Coaching is not always comfortable. Great coaches demand effort, accountability, and commitment. They make difficult decisions regarding playing time, team selection, and standards of performance. These decisions will not always be popular, but they are necessary responsibilities of a coach entrusted with leading a competitive athletic program. While reasonable people may disagree with specific coaching decisions, it is important to recognize the full body of Coach McCully's work and the extraordinary positive impact he has had over three decades. A coach's role is not simply to make athletes happy—it is to prepare them for challenges, teach resilience, and help them grow through adversity.

As former players, we have experienced firsthand the culture Coach McCully created. It was a culture built on excellence, respect, accountability, teamwork, and pride. Those values helped produce successful teams, but more importantly, they helped produce successful people.

We strongly believe that Coach John McCully deserves to be recognized for his lifelong service, dedication, and positive influence on generations of student-athletes. The thought of such a distinguished career ending under a cloud of controversy rather than with the appreciation and respect he has earned is deeply troubling to those of us whose lives he has impacted.

We respectfully ask the administration and school leadership to consider Coach McCully's complete legacy, decades of service, and the overwhelming positive impact he has had on students and our community.

Coach McCully has earned the opportunity to conclude his remarkable career with the dignity, respect, and gratitude that he deserves.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned Alumni, Former Players, Parents, Students, and Community Supporters