John Sarver-2026

Ellet, Archbishop Hoban, Buchtel, Kenmore High Schools

John Sarver 2026 Hall of Fame Inductee

Ellet, Archbishop Hoban, Buchtel, Kenmore High Schools

John Sarver began his baseball career playing little league in Akron in 1964. He was captivated by pitching and remembers his father, Ben, sitting on a milkman's delivery box to catch his throws when he was 12. Looking back, those sessions became a training and learning tool and was the beginning of improvement in his self-confidence and his desire to become a better athlete, and later, a coach.

John would go on to play on two Akron Ellet High School district tournament championship teams in 1971 and 1973. That was followed by two years at Valencia Community College in Florida and then two

years at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. A highlight of his college career there included a 5-0 no-hit victory over Western Kentucky on March 26, 1977. He also led the team’s pitching staff in 1977 with a 1.76 earned-run average. His two-year career included leading the team with strikeouts, innings pitched, and victories with an ERA of 2.41. That ranked second in school history as of 2020.

After his undergraduate education, he became an industrial arts teacher in the Akron Public Schools and earned a master’s degree in education at Kent State University. A 43-year career in baseball coaching followed.

John’s coaching record is 627-392. His first season was 1980 at Akron Kenmore High School. He then accepted the head coaching position at the private Akron Archbishop Hoban High from 1981-85 and again from 1988-98. In between, he coached at Akron Buchtel High in 1986 and ‘87. His tenure at Hoban included four district titles (1981, ‘83, ‘85 and ‘93), one regional championship (‘93) and a state runner-up finish (also in ‘93).

Then he became the head coach at alma mater Ellet from 1999 to 2023, compiling a record of 379-247. At Ellet, in 24 years, he led teams to 18 Akron City Series regular season championships, 15 post-season titles and two sectional titles. A year after his retirement, the Akron Public Schools’ Board of Education approved naming the Ellet baseball facility “John Sarver Field.”

He coached three pitchers at Hoban High who were drafted by a major league club and played in the minor leagues. One of them, Ken Robinson, reached the major leagues and played for three teams. Two players participated in the state’s prestigious All-Ohio yearly event.

John would have 21 players go on to college careers. Five former players went on to become high school head coaches in Ohio. John’s classroom career covered 35 years in Akron, including the last 16 as a middle school science teacher. He retired from teaching in 2015. He also coached football for 42 seasons at Ellet and was a basketball referee for 32 years.

John owes thanks to the many coaches he worked with, especially Dave Sargent, Ben Sarver, Ron Westren, Scott Swan, Bob Shaw, Harvey Haddix, and George “Lefty” Gray. He also appreciates the gratitude and support through the years of hundreds of parents, faculty members, administrators and opposing coaches.

Finally, thanks to his biggest cheerleaders for their support in all his endeavors. John’s wife Janis (married 44 years) served as his teams’ scorekeeper for more than 20 seasons and also helped his programs in fundraising efforts for uniforms and a scoreboard. They are the parents of daughters Julianne (husband Mark) and Kristin (husband Brian) and their grandchildren Leah, Drew, Logan, Kate and Lauren.