John McKissick
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1926 Greenwood, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | November 28, 2019 (aged 93) Summerville, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1948–1949 | Brevard |
| 1950–1951 | Presbyterian |
| Position(s) | Fullback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1952–2014 | Summerville HS (SC) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 621–155–13 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 10 South Carolina state (1955, 1956, 1969, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1998) | |
| Awards | |
| 1980, 1994 and 2003 HS Coach of the Year | |
John McKissick (September 25, 1926 – November 28, 2019) was a head football coach of Summerville High School in Summerville, South Carolina. In 2012, he became the first American football coach in history (high school, college, or professional) to win 600 career games. His 600th win came against Summerville's Ashley Ridge High School.[1] Up until 2013, he had never missed a game in 62 years and was the longest serving high school football coach of all time. He led Summerville to 10 state championships. With 621 wins, McKissick held the record for most wins by a football coach at any level until 2023, when John T. Curtis Jr. broke it. He graduated from Kingstree Senior High School in Kingstree, South Carolina, then went to Presbyterian College for two years before being drafted into the Army (as a paratrooper). He returned to Presbyterian to graduate with a degree in economics in 1951. He then worked for his father for a while before finally getting the coaching job at Summerville High.[2] He coached all three of his grandsons, Richard and Joe Call, and Donny McElveen. He was elected to the National High School Hall of Fame in 1990. After McKissick's retirement ahead of the 2015 season,[3] grandson Joe who had been his offensive coordinator was named head coach.[4]
McKissick was mentioned in Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides novel in 1986 and the film that was released five years later. In Conroy's novel, South of Broad, McKissick is given dialogue in a fictional game played between Summerville High School and Peninsula High School.
References
[edit]- ^ "Summerville's John McKissick earns win No. 600 - More Sports - SI.com". Archived from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
- ^ "USATODAY.com – Winningest coach can't quit". usatoday30.usatoday.com.
- ^ Wire, S. I. (June 16, 2015). "Summerville coach John McKissick retires after 63 years". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ "Joe Call named head football coach at Summerville High School". February 26, 2016.
External links
[edit]- CBS News Report on John McKissick on YouTube
- Summerville High School Athletics Department
- NFLHS.COM – Legends of HS Football: John McKissick
- 2005 High School Football Preview
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
 | This biographical article relating to an American football coach is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1926 births
- 2019 deaths
- American football fullbacks
- Brevard Tornados football players
- Presbyterian Blue Hose football players
- High school football coaches in South Carolina
- Paratroopers
- United States Army soldiers
- People from Kingstree, South Carolina
- Sportspeople from Summerville, South Carolina
- Coaches of American football from South Carolina
- Players of American football from South Carolina
- Military personnel from South Carolina
- American football coach stubs