Coach, Class of 2003 

John Ward attended Garden Grove High School and was recruited in 1927 to play football for USC. The Trojans were 26-3-1 in Ward's 1927-1929 career at USC under Howard Jones. Ward was a two-way tackle for three of USC's most famous Thundering Herd teams.

As a sophomore in 1927, Ward was part of the USC team that played before 120,000 people in a 7-6 loss to Notre Dame at Soldier Field in Chicago. In 1928 only a scoreless tie with Cal marred an otherwise perfect season which included a 10-0 blanking of Sanford and a 27-14 thumping of Notre Dame.

Ward went on to become the intercollegiate heavyweight boxing champion of the Pacific Coast before his long and storied career at SAC.

John Ward worked at Santa Ana College for 27 years and served as the track & field, cross country and football coach as well as athletic director. Ward won three state championships in track & field and cross country along with 13 conference titles in track & field.