Fierce competitor. Hard worker.
Disciplinarian. Fundamentally sound.
Those are some of the traits that John Swogger’s former players
use to describe their coach, who is being inducted into the Blair
County Sports Hall of Fame with the Class of 2006.
Over a span of 12 seasons, 1968 through 1980, Swogger was head
boys’ basketball coach at Altoona Area High School. During his
tenure, the Mountain Lions compiled a record of 238-77 and won
nine District 6 championships.
“I was fortunate to come up under a coach like Coach Swogger,”
said Johnny Moore, who went on to an outstanding NBA career with
the San Antonio Spurs. “I wasn’t the biggest or strongest or most
talented, but my ability, fundamental skills and work ethic were
because of him.
“I’m eternally grateful for what he deposited into my life,” said
Moore, a 1994 Blair Hall inductee.
Swogger’s teams of the early 1970s, with Billy Moore clearing the
boards and Larry Betar as the point guard on the break, changed
Altoona’s reputation from being primarily a football school.
“That was the epitome of what the fast break was supposed to look
like,” said Moore, who became the Lions’ point guard a couple of
years later. “They had a great rebounder, a great point guard and
guys who could fill the lanes.”
Swogger’s fast break became known statewide, and the Lions were
notorious for piling up big scores against quality opponents. The
Jaffa Mosque was filled most nights the Lions were in town.
“We worked hard on defense,” Swogger said, “but I was an
offensive-minded coach. We played 94 feet. Get the ball, get it
up, and run, run, run.”
Even though he loved the fast-tempo style, Swogger was known for
keeping a tight rein on his players. Besides basketball, Swogger
had success as a handler of beagle dogs and professional baseball
player. He finished several champion beagle dogs and played a year
in the Cleveland Indians farm system.
He says his success in those endeavors made him push his players
to be their best.
“Sometimes I wonder how the kids played for me,” he said,
laughing. “I never did anything to humiliate them. I wanted them
to become the best players they possibly could be, and I handled
them all differently. I think discipline and winning go hand in
hand.”
Larry McAleer was a guard on Swogger’s teams in the early ’70s. As
a junior, he was on the team that upset PIAA favorite Penn Hills
in the playoffs, and, as a senior, his team lost to Ringgold and
Joe Montana in the playoffs at the Civic Arena.
“He was a disciplinarian,” McAleer said. “He got the most out of
every player. He was so fundamentally sound. He had an aura about
him. It might not be a good comparison, but he was like Bobby
Knight at the high school level. He was demanding, well prepared
and put his whole effort into winning.”
Following a 27-3 record and District 6 title, Swogger began
feeling some burnout, and he retired after the 1979-80 season.
“Maybe I should have stayed longer,” he said. “If someone on the
board or administration had suggested that I gut it out for a
couple more years, I might have.”
Although he’s been out of the coaching ranks for several years,
Swogger, now 70, is still active. He’s worked as athletic director
and basketball director at the Summit Tennis & Athletic Club for
the past 12 years, organizing and supervising leagues, and he
still gives private lessons.
“I enjoy the kids, and I still love high school basketball,” he
said. “It’s a part of me and always will be.”