The Golden Star USA Foundation

John Garvilla - Board Member

John Garvilla calls himself blessed to have coached both Brian Letendre and Autumn Letendre. "I was asked to provide my bio as a Board Member for The Golden Star USA. However, my background means little in the scheme of things. What I consider most important in my life after my faith and my family is the opportunity God has given me, over the years, to be able to be a part of the lives of many young athletes".

Coach Garvilla continued, "I knew I would never be a great man but I was always hopeful I would be a man behind great men and women. My desire was definitely met after recruiting Brian. I was able to watch him, over the next four years, command the respect of his teammates through his servant-leadership attitude. His loyalty, not only to his teammates but to me, cost him dearly as he had to sit out one full year of play when he transferred to follow me to another college. I was overwhelmed by the sacrifice he made just to be with me. How could I repay him I thought? Well, I can’t take full credit for Brian's ultimate reward for transferring but I guess I did repay him because he would later marry the Captain of my Women's Soccer team at our new college".

Garvilla went on to say about Brian, "As great of a man as Brian would become I venture to say he would probably admit that he fell short in many ways to Autumn. She too had that same servant leadership characteristic and was as fearless as he. I have three boys and one daughter. I would count myself blessed if they each grew up to be half a man as Brian and my daughter the same of Autumn".

John Garvilla serves in more of an honorary or advisory capacity with the Golden Star USA. He also serves as a Board Member with the St. Charles Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Missouri. He and his wife, Kim, have four wonderful children. Samantha is 14, Caleb 11, and the twins, Joshua and Daniel are 9. The most recent addition to the family has been an English Mastiff puppy called Rufus "Hot Shot".