Sachem North's Horst Has Been Around the Track

There's something about Sachem High School North track and cross-country coach John Horst that sets him aside from others.

"The thing I like the most about coach Horst is how hard he works and how dedicated he is," said senior track star Brian Wersan. "During the winter season he had a heart attack and was back at practice a few days later, what other coach does that? He is incredibly motivating."

Horst, a 1970 graduate of Patchogue High School, ran cross-country and track in high school, and at Middle Tennessee State University. After graduating college Horst accepted a coaching position at Sachem in 1975.

He has coached cross-country and track and boys and girls basketball at the middle school level, JV girl's basketball, and was an assistant coach on the girl's varsity basketball team. Horst has most notably been the boys cross-country, winter track, and spring track coach at North since 2002. He was also the girl's head basketball coach at Center Moriches High School for five years, a women's assistant basketball coach at SUNY Stony Brook for six years, and Adelphi University for two years.

He's coached everything from AAU basketball to travel softball. It's tough for him to narrow down great moments.

"I have had so many great experiences with young people that selecting one over another is difficult," he said. "Some of my junior high girl's basketball teams were outstanding for their character and superior play."

The achievements go on-and-on. His JV girl's teams won 68 of 72 games over a four year period and when he was the varsity assistant some of those kids went on to win a state championship when they were seniors.

"That was pretty special," he said.

His mid-'80s girl's track teams were some of the best produced at Sachem. 

"We were repeat league and conference champions and lost the county championship by only a few points so they too, were outstanding both as athletes and people," he said.

His success is not limited to the high school level. Horst enjoyed a slew of victories when he was coaching on the college ranks.

Stony Brook went to the NCAA tournament twice and Adelphi won a conference title, which allowed the Panthers to go to the NCAA's as well,

At Sachem, last years boy's winter and spring track teams came out of nowhere to win a county championship. 

"That was so unexpected and so great an experience that that has to rank up there with all the others as well," he said.

This spring the boys team captured a League II title also.

Horst's favorite award is last year's Suffolk County Officials Team Sportsmanship Award.

"That was special because generally, the team that wins the county championship does not get that award," he said. "That speaks to what athletics is all about and I am very proud to have been part of that and to have had the message we preach actually reach our young men."

Horst has one set of rules that he runs all of his teams by.

"Be here every day, be here on time, be polite," he said, "and give me your best because that is what I will give to you and be compassionate for one another."

Spoken like a true Sachem coach.