Record-setting Philly high school baseball coach, cancer survivor and advocate, Juan Namnun is named PSWA’s Most Courageous Sportsperson of the Year
By Rock Hoffman, Football Stories Magazine/WRDV Radio
“You have cancer.”
They are perhaps some of the scariest words a person can hear from their doctor.
In 2022, Juan Namnun, the head baseball coach at Frankford High School, heard those words on a phone call as he and his family were preparing to leave the house for a vacation in DisneyWorld.
He was diagnosed with breast cancer which occurs in approximately 2,800 men each year, or about one percent of all breast cancer cases. Because it’s so rare, most men don’t realize it’s possible to suffer from it. For the most part, men and their doctors don’t routinely check for lumps. When male breast cancer is found, it’s usually in later stages because there are generally no recommended screenings for men.
For his courage, not just in the face of his diagnosis, but also in his efforts to create grassroots awareness (especially among young men) of a disease that is seen as primarily a threat for women, The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association is honored to name Juan Namnun its Most Courageous Sportsperson for 2026. Namnun, and other sports honorees, will be recognized at the PSWA’s 121st Banquet on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m., at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Cherry Hill, NJ. The event is open to the public. For ticket info, click here.
As far as discovering his disease, Namnun noticed a lump on his chest while floating in a swimming pool but didn’t think much of it. About a month later, Lena, his wife, felt it and the next day, he was seen by his doctor. In September of 2022, he had double mastectomy surgery.
Since that time, Namnun has fought the disease and made it his mission to raise awareness of male breast cancer. Currently, he is receiving endocrine therapy to reduce the risk of a recurrence.
Namnun is a national ambassador with the American Cancer Society in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. He and his wife founded the Philadelphia Public League Coaches vs Cancer Baseball Fest, an event that brings high school baseball teams together for a day to help “crush” cancer.
Namnun, who is a graduate of Frankford High and has been a health and physical education teacher there for 25 years, isn’t accustomed to losing. In his 18 years leading the Frankford High Pioneers, his teams have won seven Philadelphia Public League titles as well as the 2017 City Championship.
Join us on Wed. Jan. 21 to learn more about Juan as he accepts this high honor from the PSWA. He will be joined by Amateur Athlete of the Year, Princeton women’s lacrosse standout McKenzie Blake; Bill Campbell Excellence in Broadcast Award winner, Temple University grad and ESPN anchor Kevin Negandhi; Living Legend Award winner, Flyers two-time Stanley Cup winner, Dave Schultz; Native Son Award recipient, Penn men’s basketball great and current head coach, Fran McCaffery; and Special Achievement Award winners Lou Scheinfeld (Philly sports executive with the Flyers, Sixers, Spectrum) and Mel Greenberg (50th anniversary of the founding of the Associated Press women’s basketball top 25 poll). More award winners to be announced.