- July 12, 2025
John White started the wrestling program at Matanzas High School when the school opened 20 years ago. Three years after he stepped down as coach, he’s back to lead the boys and girls wrestling teams.
White replaces Dennis Kitko, who coached the Pirates for one season.
“I consider it a home run,” Rigney said on Tuesday, July 1, of White's return. “When we posted (the position) and I saw he applied, I was a little surprised but also very excited. This will be year 18 for him. It’s hard to find someone with that kind of experience, let alone someone who’s already in the building.”
White stepped down in May 2022 to spend more time with his wife, Viki, and their children. Their daughter, Riley, was westling at Missouri Baptist University, and White wanted to be able to travel and watch her wrestle.
Now, Riley is back in Palm Coast, and the time seemed right for White to coach again, he said.
“I always missed it. It’s a big part of my life, a big part of my family’s life,” he said. “I discussed it with Viki, and it’s the right time for us to get back in. It’s the right time to get the program back on track.”
White was a key member of the state advisory committee that convinced the Florida High School Athletic Association to sanction girls wrestling in 2021. By then White had already established a girls program at the school. From one girls wrestler in 2015, the Pirates had 15 to 20 girls in the wrestling room three years later. He started taking the girls to tournaments in 2018.
At the first FHSAA girls state tournament in 2022, the Pirates placed third, one point out of second place. The next year, with Mike Fries coaching, they won the state championship.
White has remained close to the program since he stepped down.
“I’ve been following them,” he said. “The boys are young. We have a good core group of underclassmen. We have five or six girls returning.”
His first priority, he said, is bringing the numbers back up.
“I have been at the school for 20 years, and I have a pretty good track record of being able to fill the room,” he said. “That will be No. 1. I have no doubt that we are going to get 30 boys in the room and get back up to 15 to 20 girls. I worked hard to get girls wrestling sanctioned by the FHSAA. I want to see it continue to be a powerhouse at Matanzas High School.”
With two full teams, the Pirates will be able to throw mats down in the new roomier multipurpose PE building next to the current weightlifting/wrestling building, White said.
He plans to bring back home dual meets and tournaments.
“When I was coaching we hosted multiple home duals; we had a boys tournament, a girls tournament, so we’re going to be bring those things back. That’s one of the things that builds excitement. That’s how you get kids in the room.” he said.
Practice starts next week, he said.
“I’m excited to get in the room with those boys and start putting out my ideas and goals and get them on same page,” White said. “I’m fortunate to have administrators, an athletic director that makes it a priority, so I know Matanzas High School will get back to where it was.”
