John Carter Hawkins was invested in St. George’s lacrosse program long before he became head coach. He was a member of the boys varsity team prior to playing at Rhodes College, where he helped lead his team to the NCAA “Sweet Sixteen” tournament twice. Now back at his alma mater, he uses a personalized approach to coaching. His dedication to building relationships with the team, the families and lower school students creates a tight-knit community that will last for years after graduation. 

Coach Hawkins coaching philosophy is to coach them hard and love them harder. Athletes want to play on teams where they know their coach cares about them. Sports go beyond just the game itself. It’s about the relationships you build, and I want to build relationships with every athlete in our program so they trust me and know that I have their best interests in mind on and off the field. I’m still going to coach them hard, and I’m still going to hold them accountable for the things they should be doing. But because I’ve built that relationship with them, they know I’m pushing them to reach their full potential as a lacrosse player and person.