On September 29, the School District of Lancaster community gathered for a moment that will be remembered for years to come, the official dedication of McCaskey’s first-ever turf field as John Fellenbaum Field. Players, alumni, families, and friends filled the stands to celebrate a coach, educator, and mentor whose name has become synonymous with McCaskey soccer excellence.
For nearly two decades, Coach John Fellenbaum poured his heart into the Red Tornado program. A proud member of the Class of 1960, he returned to McCaskey to lead the boys soccer team, serving as head coach from 1986 to 1994 and assistant coach for a decade prior. In those years, he compiled an extraordinary record of 147 wins, 38 losses, and 8 ties. Under his leadership, McCaskey soccer became a powerhouse in District III, earning multiple section championships, back-to-back league titles, and the program’s only District III Championship in 1994.
That 1994 team, co-captained by Jason O’Malley, still stands as one of the most dominant squads in league history. Ranked 17th in the nation, they scored 120 goals while conceding only 19, and became a source of pride for the school and Lancaster community. Alumni who returned for the dedication, spanning classes from 1963 through 1997, spoke not only of the victories, but of the lifelong friendships and lessons shaped on the field.
But Coach Fellenbaum’s impact was never confined to a scoreboard. Beyond McCaskey, he was an educator at Lincoln Middle School for 22 years and at McCaskey for 9 years, where he inspired countless students to reach their potential in the classroom. He also co-founded the Lancaster Youth Soccer Club in 1980, laying the foundation for the growth of the sport across the region and creating a pipeline of talent that fueled McCaskey’s success through the ’80s and ’90s.
His influence extended to the broader soccer world as well. A U.S. Soccer Federation “A” licensed coach, the highest certification available, Fellenbaum coached at Franklin & Marshall College, where he led the Diplomats to a national playoff appearance in 1985, and at Warwick High School. Over the course of his career, he amassed 245 wins across high school and collegiate soccer, and was recognized with inductions into the J.P. McCaskey Athletic Hall of Fame (2000), the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame (2003), and the West Chester University Athletic Hall of Fame (2011).
During the dedication ceremony, Superintendent Dr. Keith Miles captured the spirit of the evening in his remarks: “Tonight, we honor his leadership, his service, and his belief in the potential of every student. May this field inspire generations of Red Tornado players to chase excellence with the same passion and integrity he showed every day.”
The field itself became the stage for a powerful moment of connection. As former players from across the decades walked onto the turf, they embodied the living legacy of their coach. For them, the name “John Fellenbaum Field” is a reminder of practices where standards were set high, games where resilience was tested, and lessons that carried beyond graduation.
Renaming the field ensures that every student-athlete who steps onto the turf understands they are part of something bigger than themselves. It is a commitment to honor the values Coach Fellenbaum instilled: discipline, teamwork, integrity, and pride in representing McCaskey. His legacy now lives not only in the memories of those he coached but also in the very place where new generations of Red Tornado athletes will chase their dreams.
At the School District of Lancaster, we are proud to honor Coach John Fellenbaum, a teacher, a mentor, and a McCaskey legend, whose life reminds us that true greatness comes not just from victories, but from shaping lives and building community. View more photos on our Facebook.
