John Szokoli was born in New Hyde Park, New York, in 1939, and his family later relocated to Greenlawn, New York. In Greenlawn, he attended the Huntington school district, where he made significant contributions to Huntington High School's football, wrestling, and baseball teams. After graduating high school, John pursued a degree in History at C.W. Post.

Following his college studies, John embarked on a teaching career, joining Harborfields High School as a Social Studies educator. It was during this time that he married Aileene, his partner of 48 years, and together they raised six children, each of whom excelled as three-sport athletes, achieving all-league and all-county status in various sports.

John's coaching journey began at Harborfields High School, where he coached football, wrestling, and baseball for over 30 years. He made history as one of the few coaches in New York state to accumulate over 200 wins in two varsity sports: wrestling and baseball. In wrestling, he transformed a program with little recognition into a respected and competitive force over three decades. Under his guidance, Harborfields wrestling clinched several league championships and secured top 10 finishes at the conference and county levels.

Despite being at a "small school," John never shied away from challenging the best competition in the county, participating in prestigious tournaments like those hosted by Huntington and Sachem, which showcased top-tier wrestling talent statewide. Under John's leadership, Harborfields produced its only county champions to date, including James Abbott (2x), Gary Gardner, and Michael Leidner. Several of John's wrestlers achieved All-State status, with over 250 wrestlers earning all-league recognition and more than 60 receiving all-conference/all-county honors.

In the 1980s, John's wrestlers, including Ken Abbott, Christopher Pliaconis, and Michael Friedman, were among the first in Suffolk County to surpass the 100-win mark, a rare feat at the time. He also nurtured talents for the collegiate level, with standout wrestlers like Gary Abbott (Boston University), Michael Friedman (University of Pennsylvania), and Dave McEntee (University of Massachusetts) competing at renowned universities.

John's contributions to sportsmanship and coaching excellence were recognized with accolades such as the Suffolk County Grand Master Award and multiple sportsmanship awards throughout his coaching tenure. Beyond his high school coaching duties, John generously volunteered his time coaching little league baseball for the Tri-Village Little League and served as a youth football coach for the Huntington Boys Club, Huntington PAL, and Commack PAL.

Upon retiring from Harborfields, John continued his coaching legacy by establishing the wrestling program at Torah Academy, where standout wrestler Zachary Zimmern emerged as a two-time Yeshiva tournament champion. Additionally, he dedicated his retirement years to volunteering for the John H. Glenn wrestling program and its Blue Wave youth program.

In 2009, John's impactful career was honored with induction into the Harborfields Athletic Hall of Fame. However, his proudest achievement remains the enduring friendships he cultivated with many of his wrestlers, who still affectionately address him as "coach" and credit him for being a positive influence in their lives.