John Coleman outside of his home after he became an Eagle Scout. (Photo Provided)

WILLIAMSTOWN — Eighteen-year-old John Coleman started his Boy Scout training in the third grade.

Coleman said he and his dad founded the Scout Pack 316 when he was in elementary school and he later decided to join Marietta Troop 207 when he was 13, which he described as the most active troop in the region.

“I really like the outdoors, like camping, the shooting and all those things that we get to learn, like preparedness,” he said.

Coleman thinks it is important for younger kids to be a part of the Scouts to get some kind of structure in their life.

He earned his Eagle Scout rank last year. His project was constructing 10 bad houses into the ground over four different locations in Marietta and Williamstown. He said the bad houses help reduce the insect population, which in turn make it more comfortable for the community to be outside.

John Coleman started playing football in eighth grade and currently plays for the Williamstown High School football team. (Photo Provided)

Coleman is now an assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 207.

“Which is basically just helping the boys advance, the younger guys get up through the ranks of Scouting and making sure they get their Eagle Scout, making sure they get all their merit badges,” he said.

Coleman said the Scouts are required to do 50 hours of community service per year. He said the Scouts do a lot of community service, including: Parking cars for the Washington County Fair, helping at local soup kitchens, planting trees at the local park and redoing flower beds for the community.

Coleman recently enlisted in the National Guard and will start as a Private First Class, since he was an Eagle Scout. He said he will go to basic training in the summer. He plans to be a heavy equipment operator. Coleman said his grandfather and father were both in the army and he wanted to do something similar.

He then plans to join the Parkersburg Electric Union.

John Coleman swears into the Army National Guard at the Columbus Military Entrance Processing Station. (Photo Provided)

“I think it’s a good trade,” he said. “I want to be outside and do some manual stuff.”

Coleman works at Williamstown Middle/High School as an office manager. He said he gets to answer phones, help students with their classes, deliver packages and help the teachers with things they may need.

Coleman is a member of the high school football and track teams in Williamstown.

He said football is pretty significant in his life, because he spends a lot of time with his teammates and coaches.

“Those become your best friends because you hang out with them so much,” he said.

John Coleman runs with the ball on the Williamstown football field. (Photo Provided)

In track, Coleman runs the 800 and the 4×8. He started running track in eighth grade. He said he likes the track meets, because they are outside in nice weather and enjoys getting to meet new people from different schools.

In his spare time, Coleman enjoys spending time with his friends, family and the Scouts. He also said he enjoys spending time working on his 2004 Ford Ranger.

James Dobbs can be reached at jdobbs@newsandsentinel.com.

Devin Francis and John Coleman at their Eagle Scout Court of Honor at the American Legion Post 64 in Marietta. (Photo Provided)

John Coleman enjoys tinkering with his 2004 Ford Ranger in his spare time. (Photo Provided)