John E. Heslin Jr. ’56 was a four-year member of the men’s soccer team during his career at the Rhode Island College of Education.
He was recruited to join the soccer program by legendary former coach and Athletic Director Bob Brown and quickly became one of the team’s top offensive players.
Heslin served a team captain during his career and also played for the Anchormen in men’s basketball.
After his graduation from RIC in 1956, he went on to a very distinguished career as an educator in the Barrington and Scituate, Rhode Island school systems as well as the Brockton and Needham, Massachusetts schools.
Heslin was an English and social studies teacher and also was a guidance counselor. He also served as the acting Dean of Student Affairs at Stonehill College.
Perhaps his greatest contributions to soccer came after his undergraduate days were over. He was heavily involved in soccer officiating, serving as the President of both the New England Soccer Officials Association and the Rhode Island Soccer Officials Association.
As a coach, he was the first men’s soccer coach at Stonehill College and also saw time guiding the Skyhawk baseball and women’s basketball programs. He spent over two decades as the head girls’ soccer coach at Bridgewater Raynham High School where he led the Trojans to many league championships.
Heslin was inducted into the Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from RIC in 1956 and a master’s degree in education from Bridgewater State in 1958.
