Oceanside CA— The Oceanside Independence Parade committee members have chosen John Carroll to be the 127th Grand Marshal for this year’s event.
“John Carroll was our first choice especially since we declared this year’s parade theme, Legacy and Legends,” said Cathy Nykiel parade committee member. “Our theme was selected to honor those who contribute so much to our community. Carroll came to our minds right away when we decided on the theme. With his acceptance we feel honored to have Carroll be part of our parade.”
Carroll, known by so many as “Coach Carroll”, has been named 2014 Coach of the Year by numerous organizations. Over the course of his 26 years coaching Oceanside High School students, his teams have made the playoffs every year. Coach Carroll’s 26 year cumulative record at Oceanside is 248 wins-75 losses-6 ties.
Surprised and humbled by the Grand Marshal invitation, Carroll stated that he will be reflecting on many things come parade day, June 27th. “When my children were younger we watched the parade every year. I was even in the parade with my son’s Little League team some years back,” remarked Carroll. “For this parade, I plan to dress patriotically with 6 or 7 members of my family by my side, waving our USA flags down Highway 101. That’s going to be a wonderful day.”
The downtown Oceanside Independence Parade, presented by the Tri-City Medical Center, will take place on Coast Highway from Wisconsin Avenue to Civic Center Drive. The event kicks off Saturday, June 27th at 10:00 a.m. and ends at noon. The event organizer, MainStreet Oceanside, is accepting participation applications for the Independence Parade. To participate, sponsor or volunteer please visit the parade website http://OceansideParade.com/ and download the application. For more information call MainStreet Oceanside at 760-754-4512.