John Cicuto - Outstanding Coach

John Cicuto Outstanding Coach Success in football is often determined by wins and losses but John Cicutohasanother theory. As a football coach for almost 40 years at Glendale College, heh as seen his players become doctors and lawyers, police and firemen as well as business owners and stay at home dads. Many of them have graduated from college, raised families and become coaches, teachers and academic administrators. But most of all they have become good men, partly because of the teachings of Cicuto but also because of the philosophy of Glendale College Football during his era as a coach from 1975-2007 and as the athletic director from 2007 to the present. “No one has given more of their life to Glendale College’s student-athletes than John Cicuto over his 40 years at the college,’’ said HOF Chairman and 2012inductee Jim Sartoris. “John was a tough coach but a compassionate leader. Dedication, integrity and loyalty are only a few of the words that come to mind when thinking about what John has meant to the Glendale College athletic program and the thousands of student-athletes he has interacted with.’’

While both men are synonymous with the success of GCC football since the 1960swhen Sartoris played football for the Vaqs, their relationship goes back even farther as classmates at Notre Dame High school along with Head Basketball Coach Brian Beauchemin. At the third annual Vaquero Football golf event this past summer, Sartoris was part of a foursome and Cicuto circled the course in a cart so as to visit with many of the football alumni who took part in the fundraise rand sharing stories all along the way.

“Not a day goes by where I don’t feel like the luckiest man in the world to be able to work at a great school like Glendale College with all of the student-athletes, coaches, staff, faculty and administrators that have been part of our mission to educate our students and help them move on to four year schools and beyond,’’ said Cicuto. “Winning games and championships is great but our philosophy has always been that if our student-athletes succeed in the classroom, anything they accomplish on the field or court will generate many transfer opportunities and help them realize their career goals in the future.’’

Before taking over as head football coach in 1989, Cicuto was the defensive coordinator from 1975 to 1988 under Sartoris where the Vaqs won several conference titles and were considered among the best teams in the state and nationally ranked. He won almost 100 games as head football coach from 1989 to 2007 and his teams played in five bowl games, winning three, while continuing towork with Sartoris who continued to coach under Cicuto until he retired in 2007.

Cicuto’s dedication to education is evident in the commitment he has made in over four decades at Glendale to chair or serve on many conference and state committees that have made significant rule changes and policy for the betterment of student-athletes throughout the state. He is currently the President of the Southern California Football Association, where Sartoris is the chairman.

And in case John Cicuto needs any more blessings at Glendale College, the 2015baseball season is coming up and he can look forward to seeing his son Chris pilot the Vaqueros for his 12th year as head coach and watching his grand children Samantha and Jackson on the sidelines of a game soak up the what is good and great about Glendale College.