John McCarthy
In the spring of 1968, John McCarthy made a daring move. After winning the State Group I Championship at Gloucester City High School, he resigned his position as Head Boys Basketball Coach to take the reigns of a Haddon Township Squad that had just finished a 4-17 season. Some pundits questioned his sanity. But with the invaluable assistance of assistant coach Fran Mulroy, Mr. McCarthy (as he was always known) reversed the attitude of defeat that permeated the team and within two years produced a team that finished 20-6. Two years later his squad finished 19-7 and in 1973-74, his final squad posted the best record in HT boys’ basketball history, 21-5. Although he only coached the team for six years, Mr. McCarthy is generally regarded as the best boys basketball coach in Hawk history.
Knowledgeable South Jersey basketball fans know that his six years in Haddon Township served as a culmination to an outstanding career. Besides the aforementioned stint in Gloucester City, he also coached at Gloucester Catholic and Camden Catholic High Schools. His quiet demeanor, thorough knowledge of the game, class and unflappability characterized his approach to coaching. Sadly he passed away but his legacy is of producing outstanding teams and, more importantly, players who utilized the lessons he taught to become successful adults.
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