For decades, the pages of The Apopka Chief told the story of Apopka sports through the words and photographs of John Peery. 

Now, nearly three years after his passing, the longtime sports editor and journalist will be honored posthumously with the Vanguard Award as part of the 2026 Apopka Sports Hall of Fame class. 

Peery, who died on Oct. 12, 2023, at age 67, was known throughout the community simply as “JP,” a writer whose dedication to local athletics helped preserve generations of Apopka sports history. Whether it was Friday night football at Roger Williams Field, a Little League afternoon, or a standout athlete earning statewide recognition, Peery made sure the community knew their stories mattered. 

As editor-in-chief of The Apopka Chief and The Planter for decades, Peery became one of the most recognizable figures in Central Florida sports journalism. Many considered him the voice of Apopka, and described him as a respected writer, photographer and community figure who knew generations of Apopka families and athletes personally. 

Eileen Ricketson, former business manager and wife of the late Apopka Chief owner John Ricketson, had a strong relationship with Peery and appreciated his work. 

“There was no one like John Peery when it came to Apopka and Apopka sports, young or old. He loved it,” Eileen Ricketson said. “What he was able to write about them and how he did it and how much he cared about what he was doing would be hard to beat.” 

Peery’s work stretched far beyond simply covering games. He recorded the rise of Apopka athletics during some of the city’s most successful eras, helping bring recognition to athletes before social media and modern recruiting coverage existed. 

Everyone knew Perry as the encyclopedia of Apopka sports. Outside reporters and recruiters came to him first when they needed information on a local athlete — he always had the answer. He brought the same dedication to youth sports, consistently making room in the paper for the community’s youngest players. 

Even while balancing deadlines and other demands of weekly journalism, Peery rarely missed an event. Ricketson recalled how deeply connected he remained to both the sports world and the Apopka community throughout his life. 

“He did whatever he had to do to keep up with the people as well as the deadline he was working on,” Ricketson said. “He was always in tune with the sports world and especially AHS.” 

His love for sports started early. Peery started studying basketball as a child, sitting beneath his father at the timer’s table during Apopka High School games while learning the sport from the ground up. He grew up in Apopka and graduated from Apopka Memorial High School. 

His early passion eventually developed into an award-winning journalism career. 

Peery earned multiple honors from the Florida Press Association during his time at The Apopka Chief. In 2014, he received first place in the FPA’s Weekly Newspaper Contest for the sports section and second place for sports photography. In 2016, he earned third place for best obituary writing. 

Ricketson described him as “a God-fearing person who was highly respected by most everyone,” someone who deeply cared about both the athletes he covered and the community itself. 

He also carried a well-known passion outside of Apopka sports. While orange may define Florida, Peery’s favorite shade belonged to the University of Tennessee. He attended the university in his first year before coming back home to UCF. Friends and colleagues knew him as a loyal Volunteer fan through and through. 

“As passionate as he was for sports, he bled Tennessee orange and white,” Ricketson said. 

The Vanguard Award honors individuals who made lasting impacts behind the scenes in Apopka athletics, and few people documented and shaped the area’s sports culture like Peery. Through thousands of stories, photographs and late nights at the newspaper office, he helped generations of athletes feel seen and celebrated. 

Now, the Apopka Sports Hall of Fame will etch his legacy permanently into the city’s athletic history on July 25.