John Paul II has announced its new football coach for the 2014-2015 school year. John Furin will take over the program after 30 years experience coaching around Texas as well as international experience coaching with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). Furin is originally from Canada, where he graduated from Saint Jerome’s Catholic School in Ontario before captaining the football team at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. “Coach Furin brings exceptional experience to the JPIIHS football program both offensively and defensively,” President Thomas W. Poore said. “He is clearly committed to forming our student athletes into young men with high moral and ethical character, rooted in the Catholic tradition.”

Furin coached six players who went on to play at the Division I level as a Defensive Assistant for the Grapevine High School varsity football team.  From there he became the Defensive Coordinator at Colleyville Heritage High School, which was awarded the Top Regular Season 5A Scoring Defense in Texas in 2001. He helped build the program there from its infancy into a playoff team in three of its first six years. “At JPIIHS, I really want to build on the foundation that is already in place and try to grow as a football team and put ourselves in positions to win games,” said Coach Furin. “The biggest reason I wanted to coach at JPIIHS is my background in Catholic education. I wanted to be involved in Catholic schools because of the opportunity to work with great kids. Education is first for them, and I hope to help them become well-rounded young men.”

Furin became the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at Colleyville Heritage in 2005, where he installed a new spread offensive and developed a program for the middle schools to aid in building the future of the program. The school has led the state in total passing yards twice in the past 10 years.  "Coach John Furin is an excellent hire,” said Rich Gaffney, Athletic Director at John Paul II High School. “He brings a wealth of football knowledge to JPIIHS.  Coach Furin is a winner and has great enthusiasm and drive for working with athletes."

Internationally, Furin has worked as a guest coach for Team Canada, Team Sweden and Team World as they prepared for the IFAF World Championships. In 2014, he coached the USA Under-15 Football Team for five days and led them to a victory in the International Bowl against Team Canada. This month, he will become a Master Trainer for Heads Up Football, a division of USA Football that educates coaches, players, parents and programs on concussion awareness, proper equipment training, heads up tackling technique, and heat and hydration.  

Call 972-867-0005 or visit www.johnpauliihs.org to learn more about John Paull II High School.