Class of 2025 - Inductee

Athletic Director, Greater Amsterdam School District (NY)

John Salls is being inducted into the Gipper Hall of Fame for rebuilding and reimagining an entire athletic department from the inside out, especially in a Title I community where athletics is a lifeline for many students.

Since arriving in Amsterdam, John has been described as a “Jack of all trades” who believes nothing is beneath him. He designed the new high school gym, restored programs that had been cut (including swim and cheer), started an athletic study hall for struggling students, and created academic check systems where athletes regularly get feedback from every teacher on grades, attendance, and behavior. He personally advocated to maintain a full-time athletic trainer and ensure the training room is equipped with state-of-the-art rehab tools so athletes are genuinely safe and supported.

One colleague summed him up:

“Our AD is one of the most hard working administrators I have ever seen and does anything and everything a coach/teacher needs to be successful.”

John’s commitment to equity and access shows up everywhere. He has expanded modified and intramural options, launched intermural programs at the elementary level, and entered into mergers with neighboring schools so Amsterdam students can access sports they wouldn’t otherwise have—rather than canceling teams when numbers are low. He has also championed Unified Sports and Unified PE, participating himself in events like the Polar Plunge and Truck Pull alongside students and staff. One nominator noted that swim, historically overlooked and even cut during COVID, now feels fully valued for the first time—complete with a budget, upgraded equipment, and regular AD presence at meets.

As one coach wrote:

“Never—never—had our program received that kind of support.”

Culturally, John is known for being “absolutely everywhere.” He attends events at all levels and all sports—home and away, weekends and weeknights. He has led Teacher Appreciation Night, Law Enforcement Appreciation Night, youth summer sports clinics, and free six-week summer sports programs for grades 1–8, including students with disabilities. He’s often the first to arrive and the last to leave, making sure fields are lined, sound systems and scoreboards work, metal detectors are functional, and staffing is in place.

He also leads by literally doing whatever it takes. When Amsterdam faced major transportation issues, John earned his CDL so he could drive the small bus and Suburban himself, ensuring athletes could reach state tournaments and critical games.

A colleague captured his leadership simply:

“He is simply the best. He only opens doors when most would shut them.”

For John, this work is about more than wins. He has launched an Athlete Leadership Club, implemented academic accountability systems, and constantly points kids back to character, integrity, and community impact. His own story—overcoming a devastating high school car accident and rebuilding his life—quietly lives behind the message he gives his athletes: adversity doesn’t define you; your response does.

John Salls is exactly the kind of leader the Gipper Hall of Fame was created to honor: a relentless, hands-on builder who turns a district’s challenges into opportunities, and makes sure every kid, every program, and every coach knows they matter.