John Sanger starts his eighth season with the Bryn Mawr soccer program in the Fall of 2025. Coach Sanger joined the program in the Spring of 2018 and has contributed in a variety of roles to help raise the level of play throughout the program.
Prior to joining the Bryn Mawr staff, Sanger had an accomplished 5 year stint at West Chester Henderson High School as an assistant with the Women’s Varsity. During this time he headed up the team’s defensive efforts and helped guide 20 players to all-league status. The highlight of Coach Sanger’s time at Henderson was winning 3 consecutive league championships from 2015-2017. During this time the team recorded 27 shutouts and held their opponents to an average of less than one goal per game.
At the club level, Sanger has successfully coached both boys and girls teams for over 25 years. In addition to helping players develop their skills and a love for the game, many of Coach Sanger’s former players have moved on to productive college careers in NCAA Divisions I, II and III. He currently coaches at FC Delco as a member of the club’s ECNL girl’s staff and was named the club’s coach of the year in 2016.
Coach Sanger has enjoyed playing soccer at a variety of levels throughout his life. He was part of the prestigious Delco Select program as a youth player and was a member of Strath Haven High School’s inaugural soccer team where he scored the first goal in the school’s history. Coach Sanger has enthusiastically participated in amateur leagues in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Germany.
An active adult learner, Coach Sanger holds several coaching degrees and licenses including the prestigious UEFA B license which he earned in Germany, an Associate’s Degree in German Coaching from the Thüringer Fußball-Verband, the United Soccer Coaches Premier, Advanced National and Level 2 Goalkeeping diplomas as well as a “C” and National Youth license from the United States Soccer Federation.
A 1988 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Coach Sanger majored in American History and minored in German Literature. He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from Widener University and is currently employed as a teacher with the Chester County Intermediate Unit.
Coach Sanger and his wife Kathleen have lived in West Chester for over 25 years and have 3 adult sons who live in the Philadelphia Area (Andrew, Alex, and Ian). Both Alex (Ursinus College, ‘19) and Ian (Ursinus College, ‘22) were members of the Ursinus soccer program and played in the Centennial Conference together.
