By Bill Gilman
Managing Editor
After leading the Wellesley High Athletics Department for two decades, AD John Brown has announced his retirement.
Brown made his decision public in a social media post Monday. He plans to remain in the position until October to help the school department find a replacement and to assist with the transition.
“How often can someone say that their hobby and their passion is their job? I would not have traded this for anything,” said Brown, in his statement. “I was able to make my living in sports in a great community.”
Brown took over as AD in Wellesley for the 2006-07 school year. Since then, Raiders teams have collected a whopping 47 state championships, along with five Boston Globe Scholastic Awards for highest overall winning percentage.
Wellesley teams have won numerous sportsmanship awards during Brown’s tenure and he, himself was awarded the MIAA William N. Gaine Jr. Sportsmanship Award in 2025.
In his statement, Brown thanked numerous fellow athletic directors, as well as Wellesley High students, coaches, staff and administrators, both past and present. But he gave special recognition to his family, including his parents, wife Jennifer, and his three children, for their support.
“(They) allowed me to do this job the right way,” he said, “They understood that holidays, vacations and birthdays needed to be celebrated around Wellesley games and events so that I never missed anything.”
