Hall of Fame Coach Passes

John L. Wagoner, the first basketball coach at Chabot College passed away June 26, 2023 at the age of 93. Wagoner leaves behind a legacy much greater than just wins and losses, as he was a mentor to many current and former basketball coaches across the state, and his influence has been felt throughout California Community College basketball for a number of years.

Wagoner was the head basketball coach at Chabot from 1962-1979. He compiled a record of 307-185, including 13, 20-win seasons during that time frame. Under his tenure, Chabot tied or won two conference titles, and qualified for a state tournament berth in 1974. His 30-3 team that year was beaten in the state tournament semifinals by Rancho Santiago. Unfortunately, Wagoner's coaching tenure occurred during the time when only one representative per conference went on to the state tournament. Although, the expanded format came in during his last two years of coaching, in 1978 he took a fourth-place conference team to the Northern California regional finals. Wagoner was three-time Golden Gate Conference Coach of the Year

Wagoner was inducted into the California Community Colleges Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1979, shortly after his retirement. He was also a charter member under the Coaching category of the Chabot College Athletic Hall of Fame upon its inception in 2000. The Chabot College gymnasium floor was dedicated in his honor (John L. Wagoner court).

After retiring from coaching, he started his a scouting service, which he ran for over 20 years.  The service was exclusively designed to help place California community college players wadvance to four-year institutions. He is also remembered by many four-year coaches who, even after closing his service, who would ask him for player evaluations.

Wagoner was also a fixture at the California Community Colleges Athletic Associstion Basketball championship up until the late 2000's. He was the chair, and for many years, the only selection committee member of the All-Tournament committee at the state finals. His colleagues at that time trusted him as being the best judge of which players should be recognized as all-tournament. He was also a past president of the California Community Colleges Men’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Afrer leaving coaching, he continued as the dean of the Physical Education at Chabot, ultimately retiring from the College in 1994.  

Wagoner continued to attend every Chabot basketball game he could possibly get to, health permitting, all the way up to the conclusion of this past season, where Chabot won every home game he attended, including a victory over #1 rated City College of San Francisco. He was dubbed by current Chabot coach Keenan McMiller as this past years team’s “good luck charm."

CWagoner is survived by his wife of 68 years, Doska; two children Sara (Dan) and Dale (Judith); and four grandchildren, Aaron (Tracy), Dylan, Jesse, and Johnny.