[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15610-15611]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    CONGRATULATING COACH JOHN GILLEN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TIM RYAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 12, 2014

  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my former 
coach and dear friend, Mr. John Gillen, for his over 50 years of 
incredible work at my alma mater, John F. Kennedy High School. His 
titles were athletic director, coach, and teacher, but those were just 
labels. Coach Gillen was a role model for me and many other student 
athletes. He was fair, dedicated, and had a great sense of humor. But 
most importantly he was able to give us the tough love that was so 
often needed to instill discipline and resiliency. He would spend 
countless hours at our school and would ask for so little in return. 
His joy and fulfillment comes from shaping the minds and spirits of the 
young people at our school.
  I will never forget watching daily as a high school student Mr. G 
quietly stepping into the school chapel. He took time to pray, 
meditate, and to thank God for all of his blessings. That stuck with me 
as I walked my own personal spiritual journey. I have him to thank for, 
through his modeling and leadership the encouragement to pursue my own 
personal journey. For that I will be forever grateful as it is the best 
gift he could have given to me. I treasure my experiences on and off 
the field with Coach Gillen. He represents the best of Kennedy High 
School and the best example of what it means to be a practicing 
Catholic. If those who know him could measure up to be half the person 
he is we would vastly improve our schools, our community, and our 
nation in countless ways.
  I would like to also submit the following article that appeared in 
the Tribune Chronicle on August 9, 2014 in his honor.

          Still Going Strong Gillen A Legend in Kenndy History

       Warren.--John Gillen likes to keep things simple and 
     understated. Nothing displays that more than the tiny office 
     Gillen occupies as the Athletic Director at John F. Kennedy 
     High School. Tucked in behind the ticket office next to the 
     gymnasium that's named after him, the work space can best be 
     described as a cubicle. With a desk, chair and some filing 
     cabinets in place, there's no more than 50 square feet of 
     walking space. To get a view of the outside world, Gillen has 
     to step from the office and peek through the ticket office 
     towards a set of doors. To some it might seem a bit 
     claustrophobic, but to Gillen it's served with the comfort a 
     tree house would to a young boy for decades.
       John F. Kennedy athletic director John Gillen is shown in 
     his office at the high school. Gillen has been AD since 1971 
     and was a part of the first staff when Kennedy opened its 
     doors in 1964. ``I never wanted to move,'' Gillen said as he 
     took a break from work on a late July day. ``They asked me if 
     I wanted to move down close to the main offices. I like it 
     here. It would probably make a great bomb shelter if we ever 
     get attacked; or a hurricane or earthquake; this would be the 
     place to come.'' Gillen moved to the office from a nearby 
     work space that was even smaller. To the best of his 
     recollection, he's been in the current office about 35 years, 
     which was about seven years into what is now his 42nd year as 
     athletic director.
       It probably seems like only yesterday to Gillen, who is 
     living proof that the love of work and an active mind can 
     keep a person young at heart. Gillen doesn't show much of his 
     81 years other than the usual gray hair and perhaps slower 
     walk that are inevitable with the aging process. His mind is 
     sharp, which it has to be to deal with the demands of a job 
     that can be thankless and rewarding at the same time. How he 
     does it when most people his age have given in to retirement 
     or infirmity is remarkable. The phone calls from parents 
     upset about a child's lack of playing time. The constant 
     demands of scheduling at a time when it's become impossible 
     to find an area conference willing to extend JFK an 
     invitation to the club. The secret for Gillen is to keep 
     physically active and tap into the energy of those around 
     him, including his wife Gloria, and an unwavering faith in 
     God. It starts with a workout with light weights every 
     morning. ``Dealing with the kids,'' Gillen said. ``They keep 
     you young. They'll keep you on your toes, I'll tell you.''
       Another key to Gillen's longevity is his humility and the 
     accommodating manner in which he's treated those he's worked 
     with all these years. Ask any JFK coach that's had dealings 
     with Gillen, and you won't find one that will say a bad word 
     about him. ``John is a very calm, easy-going guy,'' said 
     Dennis Zolciak, who coached the Eagles' football team from 
     1977-90. ``The thing is his heart is totally into the school. 
     He wants what's best for the school.'' There are generally 
     two types of athletic directors--ones that want control of 
     everything, including calling a few plays, and ones that take 
     a back seat and try to make life as easy as possible for the 
     coaches. Gillen fits the latter category to the max, always 
     being careful to meet the demands of every coach, even if he 
     might not agree with all the requests. ``He couldn't do 
     enough for you, and then some,'' said Tony Napolet, the 
     football coach from 1970-72 and 1991-2010.
       Few people know Gillen better than Napolet, whom Gillen 
     coached in football at St. Mary's Junior High School more 
     than 60 years ago. The two are as much a part of the athletic 
     fabric at JFK as any person ever associated with the school. 
     ``He's the best part of that place,'' Napolet said. ``He's 
     been there 50 years. Since before they opened. He loves it. 
     That place is his life.'' Gillen was raised here and 
     graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1950. He coached 
     basketball and served as the school's athletic director 
     before moving to JFK High School when it opened in 1964. He 
     taught and coached before replacing Jim McQuaide as athletic 
     director in 1972. Gillen has worked closely with each of 
     JFK's six football coaches prior to this season. From George 
     Landis in 1964 to McQuaide (1965-69), followed by Napolet, 
     Gene Nara (1973-76), Zolciak, Napolet again and Dave Pappada 
     (2011-12). He's begun working this year with first-year coach 
     Jeff Bayuk. Add the coaches of other sports, boys and girls, 
     and you can begin to understand how many lives Gillen has 
     touched.
       ``When the bricks for the school came together, John was 
     there,'' said Dennis Jasinski, basketball coach from 1978-89. 
     ``He's a solid part of the whole thing. We always got along. 
     He was a pleasure to work with. He's a gentleman and a 
     friend.'' Jasinski recalls a time when Gillen was set to 
     scout a future basketball opponent but at the last minute had 
     to cancel. Jasinski assumed the task of driving to Akron, 
     which led to a surprising moment when he settled into his 
     seat to begin taking notes. ``I went with an assistant coach 
     and a minute before the game started, who comes walking in? I 
     said, `John, I thought you couldn't scout,''' Jasinski said. 
     ``He said, `I told my wife I was going out for a loaf of 
     bread.' That's the type of guy he was. He was always willing 
     to help.'' Gillen doesn't like to talk about himself. He's 
     more comfortable in the background, where he can let others 
     accept the laurels of victory. He allows himself a moment of 
     boastful pride when pointing out that each of his four sons--
     John, Brian, the late Tom and Jim--played on JFK football 
     teams that made the playoffs. Brian and Tom were on the 1991 
     team that won the only state championship in school history. 
     All Gillen needs these days to remain happy is morning 
     exercise, daily prayer, the love of friends and family and a 
     cozy seat in his tiny office. The one that sits a few strides 
     from the gymnasium that bears his name.

[[Page 15611]]

       It will seem strange when the day arrives that Gillen is no 
     longer the athletic director. Life will go on, but not quite 
     the same. ``You're only one part in a machine,'' Zolciak 
     said. ``I've seen guys go, and the wheels keep turning. The 
     great thing about John is he's healthy, he can do things, and 
     he's glad he can do it. When the day comes and he leaves, the 
     place will keep on going. I think he's left a great legacy 
     there.'' Retirement can be a lonely place for those that 
     thrived on work for lengthy periods of time. Some don't 
     handle it well but find a way to cope. Others give in to time 
     and fade away quickly. Gillen has no fears when he 
     contemplates retirement.
       ``A gentleman told me at one time, and I'll never forget 
     it,'' he said. ``When you retire, you know what you're 
     retiring from, but do you know what you're retiring to? I've 
     thought about that often. What would I do after I retire?'' 
     Exactly how will Gillen live life when that day arrives? ``I 
     won't lay on the couch; I know that,'' he said.

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