Two Merced County coaches selected as Sac-Joaquin Section Model Coach Award winners
John Kane and Matt Winton have been friends for over 30 years, since playing against each other in high school.
Both became high school coaches at their alma maters and they were in each other’s wedding.
So it seemed fitting that both Winton and Kane were named Sac-Joaquin Model Coach Award Winners in the same year. Winton and Kane were among the six Model Coach Award winners announced by the Sac-Joaquin Section on Tuesday. The other four selected were Pitman’s Lisa Avrett, River City’s Kristie Dornan, Bear Creek’s Kirk Klucznik and Adams Academy’s Brelynn Shirey.
The award honors coaches who are positive role models within their schools and the community at large.
“It’s kind of cool to be selected the same year as Coach Kane,” Winton said. “We’ve known each other for a long time.”
Winton, 52, has been the baseball coach at Livingston High for 29 years. He’s also coached football for 15 years, girls golf for 14 years and boys golf for one year.
Coaching and teaching at the high school he went to has made for a very rewarding career for Winton.
“It’s everything,” Winton said. “I could teach and coach anywhere, but I never could have given what I’ve given anywhere else. I’ve been able to coach kids of players I’ve coached. I live two blocks away from the school. This school and community have meant so much to me.”
Since news spread about Winton receiving the coaching honor, he’s heard from many coaches and former players.
“It’s kind of overwhelming, to be honest,” he said. “It’s a huge honor. It’s kind of made me reflect on the people I’ve been surrounded by, the mentors I’ve had and all the players who have come through the program for golf and baseball.”
“Ultimately, it’s about the relationships you built over time,” Winton added.
Kane coached basketball at his alma mater Atwater High for 12 years. He has coached girls golf at Merced High since 2014. He coached softball at Merced for five years and has been an assistant basketball coach at Merced since 2012.
Kane, 52, agreed with Winton that being selected for the award was overwhelming.
“I earned it for one of the last sports (golf) I thought I’d ever coach,” Kane said. “Especially with my golf game. I don’t think I would have won if they knew me as a younger coach.”
It was Winton’s younger brother, Scott Winton, who convinced Kane to begin coaching golf.
“I fell in love with it,” Kane said. “When I took over we had a good group of freshmen, but one of the things I quickly realized is we had to grow the numbers. For us to have success we had to get more players and that’s one of the first things I tell younger coaches.”
Kane says he fell in love with golf because it can be a cruel sport, but also rewarding. It’s a sport you can play for the rest of your life.
“John is always teaching his athletes and students on all six pillars of character,” Merced athletic director Paul Hogue said. “I do not worry about Coach Kane and his programs. His kids carry themselves with class and respect for him and our school.”
Kane also was happy to be honored the same year as Winton. He says he has a lot of respect for what Winton has done for almost three decades, even if Winton roots for all Bay Area professional teams and Kane roots for all Southern California teams.
“That fact that we like opposite teams of the rivalry in every sport makes it fun,” Kane said.
Past Merced-area coaches to be named Sac-Joaquin Section Model Coach Award winners are Roddy Svendsen (Atwater), Angelo Naldi (Livingston), Matt Thissen (Golden Valley), Rob Scheidt (Merced), Lynn Barcellos (Los Banos), Catherine Mendes (Hilmar), Mary McCullick (Atwater), Patti Harris (Hilmar), Jacqueline Wooding (Golden Valley) and Chopper Mello (Golden Valley).
Each of the six model coaches selected this year will receive a plaque and a lifetime Sac-Joaquin Section pass at the Scholarship Breakfast on April 26.
This story was originally published January 12, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
