Born in Annapolis, Maryland, Mr. John Svec grew up aspiring to become a fifth-grade teacher—a natural choice, considering he was the son of two educators. His path took a turn quickly, after he lettered four times in lacrosse at Broadneck High School and earned a lacrosse scholarship to Loyola University in Maryland. At Loyola, he earned his degree in Elementary Education, but during his college years and his time as a student teacher, it became blazingly clear that teaching fifth grade wasn’t his true calling nor passion.
In fact, his decision to pursue coaching was driven by that realization. After graduating, Mr. Svec accepted his first coaching position as an assistant coach at SUNY Albany, where he spent seven years building his coaching experience. He then spent three successful years at Hobart College before landing a head coaching position at Siena University. Back in Albany, his time as the head man was fulfilling, though after seven years, his staff did not achieve enough success on the field, leading to his departure.
Following his tenure at Siena, Mr. Svec transitioned to Brown University, serving as the Bears’ defensive coordinator. Lacrosse, as Mr. Svec puts it, is a small world, and after his time in Providence, new opportunities quickly came his way. One such opportunity came last year when Sean Quinn, a lacrosse booster at Seton Hall Prep and a fellow Loyola lacrosse alum, reached out to inform Mr. Svec about an opening at Seton Hall Prep.
Mr. Quinn wasn’t Mr. Svec’s only connection to Seton Hall Prep. Brady O’Sullivan, who had lettered in both football and lacrosse at Seton Hall Prep before attending the prestigious Salisbury School in Connecticut, had also been recruited by Mr. Svec during his time at Brown. When Mr. Svec sought Brady’s opinion on Seton Hall Prep, Brady’s response was unequivocal: “It was the best choice I ever made.” That insight solidified Mr. Svec’s belief that this opportunity was the right fit for him.
Transitioning from 22 years in the collegiate coaching ranks to the high school scene has proven smooth for Mr. Svec so far. The role also offers him the opportunity to spend more time with his wife of fifteen years and their two young sons, ages six and nine, whom he hopes will attend Seton Hall Prep one day—provided they are good students and gain fair admission.
Mr. Svec steps into a strong program, inheriting a well-established lacrosse powerhouse in the New Jersey scene with high expectations from the community. However, he views expectations not as pressure but as a reflection of striving to meet personal standards and realize potential. He has been particularly impressed by the seniors on the lacrosse team and the student body overall, noting that the halls of our West Orange school are filled with “really solid guys and minimal ‘jerks.’”
As both the varsity lacrosse coach and Assistant Dean of Men, Mr. Svec is fully immersed in his role and quite busy day to day. His goal is simple: to help his team play to their potential in the upcoming spring while focusing on the controllables and letting outcomes take care of themselves. While the word family can feel overused in the world of sports, Mr. Svec believes his lacrosse Pirates embody that spirit, forming a bond that goes far beyond the game itself.