John Fontana made his mark in baseball after leaving American International College as he went on to become one of the winningest high school coaches in America. During his 41-year tenure at Southington High School in Connecticut, he won 669 games and finished his career fifth among high school baseball coaches in winning percentage with at least 600 wins, while leading his teams to two state titles and 40 state championship tournament appearances.
A total of 192 of his former players went on to earn college scholarships, and in 1991 seven of his former players were playing in the NCAA Div. I and II College World Series. He also had 17 former players sign Major League contracts.
Fontana was named the 1993 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) National Coach of the Year and was named the 1996 recipient of the National High School Coaches Association's (NHSCA) Dwight-Keith Award, which is the organization's highest honor, and served as the organization's President during the 1992-93 academic year.
Fontana was inducted into the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1999, the American International College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Southington Sports Hall of Fame.
