John Tipton - 2010

Portsmouth High School

John Tipton graduated from Portsmouth Clay High School in 1970.  There, he received a baseball scholarship to Indian River Jr. College in Fort Pierce, Florida, where he played two years, gaduating in 1972 with an Associates Degree.  From there, he went to Rio Grande College, playing baseball for two years, until graduating in 1974.  That fall John began teaching at McDermott Northwest, where he became the Head Baseball Coach.  In 1976 he moved to Oak Hills High School, coaching there for one season before moving to Portsmouth High School at the age of 27.  He coached there through the 1993 season, where they were ranked No. 1 in the Coaches Poll in both 1992 and 1993.  For the next two seasons Coach Tipton was the head coach at Shawnee State University.  He continued to teach at Porstmouth High School where he retired in 2004.

     During his career, he was blessed with talented players as evident with over 50 young men going on to play college baseball.  He is also very proud to have coached and been assisted by many successful head coaches around the state of Ohio.  Some of these are, Tim Saunders of Dublinc Coffman, Chris Huesman of Dublin Jerome, Steve Little of Olentangy, Michael Estep of Wheelersburg and Todd McCoy in Florida.

     He was chosen to be a trial coach for the 2000 U.S.A. Junior National Team, that went on to win the Gold Medal.  Finally Coach Tipton is also an OHSAA Basketball Official for 38 years, having worked a college schedule for 36 of those years, and stil counting.  He will be inducted inot the Officials Hall of Fame this spring.  Coach Tipton has been married to Donna for the past 33 years.