Megan John: leading the way, on and off the field
Megz, Johnny, MJ — I can think of a handful of other nicknames for Whitworth University softball player Megan John other than “Mom.” Yet, her friends insist on calling her “Mom.”
Although she cannot remember exactly how her motherly nickname came to be, she recalls that she complained about her friend who cusses too much. She spoke up about his cussing habit, and he said something along the lines of, “Okay, jeez Mom.” The nickname stuck.
“Mom”
Megan “Mom” John is in her senior year at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. During her time as a student athlete she has found several ways to speak up and use her voice. Not only did she find her groove on the field in 2015 and bat .321, but she also served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
SAAC is a collection of students who act as a voice for student athletes, linking players and administration. The Whitworth committee votes on legislative measures for NCAA Division III sports. In addition, they connect athletes with the community through volunteering opportunities.
Coin drive organizer
SAAC plans community service opportunities for student athletes several times throughout the academic year. For SAAC’s winter event, John spearheaded the organization of a coin drive for ParaSport Spokane, an organization that provides “competitive athletic opportunities for youth and adults with physical disabilities.”
“It’s been really fun to work with them. When I got this role, we had to decide kind of from scratch who we wanted to support for the coin drive,” John said. “As soon as that came up, we knew, ‘That’s what we want to do!’”
Coach John
John has had the opportunity to lead in other ways as well — when she returns home to Beaverton, Oregon each summer, she coaches softball to youth.
From hands on coaching, to traveling with the team, to talking to college scouts and helping in the recruiting process, John has learned a lot from her time coaching. John often received advice from her old coach, Steve Wallo.
“You know this sport, you know the game. Just trust yourself and be vocal. Don’t hesitate to say things to the players,” John said.
When she was in the third grade, Megan’s parents, Paul and Jennifer John, pushed Megan to play softball.
“I really loved reading, and I didn’t really care about making friends or doing anything active,” John said.
But it did not take long for John to love the sport. She continued to play throughout her formative years until she found herself looking into playing at Whitworth. Now, her softball career at Whitworth is coming to an end.
A health sciences major with a minor in psychology, John is planning on going into occupational therapy. She is currently applying to graduate school and preparing for life beyond the field.
