Builder
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017
From September 1993 to April 2016, John DeCoste was employed as a sports reporter and photographer for the Kings County Advertiser and Register. During that time, coverage of Acadia varsity sports was a big part of his regular 'beat' and an important part of his life.
A native of Pictou, NS, John entered Acadia as a student in 1973, graduating in 1977. This year marks the 40th anniversary of that graduation with a BA in History and English.
While not an athlete himself during his time at Acadia, John followed the varsity teams with interest, both as a fan and in a broadcasting capacity with CKIC Radio Acadia.
During his final two years as a student, John did play-by-play of Acadia basketball, football and some hockey games for Radio Acadia. Getting to do the play-by-play for the 1977 CIAU men's basketball final at the Halifax Forum – which Acadia won – remains one of the biggest thrills of his life.
In September 1993, John began his twenty-two-and-a-half-year career as a sports journalist. His in-depth coverage of Acadia varsity athletics made him a familiar face on campus and to several generations of Acadia varsity athletes, coaches and athletics staff.
John acknowledges that the jobs he held during his working career, while enjoyable and personally fulfilling, were not necessarily that rewarding financially.
“However,” he says, “we're given three things in life: time, talent and treasure. I've never had much treasure, but I've been fortunate to be able to give Acadia a lot of my time and talent over the years.”
During his career as a sports journalist, John received regional and national recognition for sports-writing and photography. His photo from an Acadia men's rugby match was judged to be the best in Canada in 2003.
In 2009, he was the first winner of the AUS media award, an honour he would earn again in 2014.
In June of that year John was recognized by the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation for 20 years of coverage of high school sports in Kings County.
Also in 2009, John was asked by then-Acadia athletic director Brian Heaney to join the selection committee for the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame, and his encyclopedic knowledge of Acadia sports history makes him a valuable member of the group. John is also part of the selection committee for the Berwick and District Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2014, John released his first full-length sports book, a 50-year history of Acadia men's basketball at the nationals, Living the Dream. In researching the history of Axemen basketball, he interviewed many basketball Axemen players and coaches.
In 2013, John began a series of weekly in-depth features for the Kings County Advertiser on young local athletes, many of whom were also Acadia athletes. This series was later recognized by Newspapers Canada as the best in the country for sports coverage. In August 2016, John began writing regular features on Acadia varsity athletes as part of a series called ‘In Pursuit of Excellence’ as part of his retirement career as a freelance writer.
John’s unwavering interest in and promotion of Acadia athletics over nearly three decades has enhanced the University’s reputation and profile in the community, and we are delighted to welcome him as a builder into Acadia’s Sports Hall of Fame.