John Shimer coached his first season as an assistant coach with the men's soccer program in 2023-24.

The Gulls posted a record of 8-7-7, with 4-3-1 in conference play in Shimer's first season. They were eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) playoffs.

Shimer joined the staff following a three-year stint with the Boston College men's soccer program (assistant coach/director of operations).

Prior to his time at Boston College, Shimer founded the men’s soccer team at Pine Manor in 2014 and built the Gators into a championship program over six seasons.

During Shimer's six years leading the Gators, Pine Manor won back-to-back American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) conference championships in 2016 and 2017, had an overall record of 56-33-9, and had 26 players selected for All-ACAA conference recognition. In 2017, the Gators’ Jose Corrales was selected as the ACAA Player of the Year, Noah Nixon was selected as the ACAA Defensive Player of the Year, and Shimer was named the ACAA Coach of the Year. The Gator’s final season in 2019 was the program's best, as the team finished 12-3-2 and finished ranked in the top 20 in the country in many statistical categories including first in shots on goal per game (11.812) and eighth in scoring (3.24 goals per game).

Prior to his time at Pine Manor College, Shimer was the first assistant coach at Endicott College where his lasting impact was felt in the 2014 recruiting class that he helped land as the recruiting coordinator. That 2014 class featured two future Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Defensive Players of the Year, the program’s first-ever All-American, and a core group that would help the Gulls win their first ever -- and first of four consecutive -- CCC regular season championship in 2015. The Gulls also earned first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament in 2017.

Shimer’s first year in the college game was on staff at his alma mater Ohio Wesleyan in 2012 under legendary Battling Bishop head coach Jay Martin, the all-time wins leader in men’s college soccer history at any level. That year, OWU won the North Coast Athletic Conference regular season championship and earned a trip into the NCAA tournament.

Shimer has worked for Massachusetts Olympic Development Program for the past nine years and he is the current U16/17 head coach. His expertise in the game also landed him the job as the 2010 World Cup columnist for the website of WEEI in Boston.

Well-versed in United Soccer Coaching licenses, Shimer has earned his Premier, Advanced National, National, and Director of Coaching diplomas.

(Updated on 12/6/2023)