John Yoder Jr. attended Eagle Grove High School where he played football and wrestled, placing third in the Iowa state high school tournament as a senior in 1966.

He attended F. Dodge Junior College and played football for one year before transferring to Wayne State College, where he wrestled and earned All-America status with a fourth-place finish at the NAIA National tournament.

John's teaching and coaching career began at Thomas Moore Prep High School in Hays, Kansas. He went on to coach four years at Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Iowa; 25 years at Belmond-Klemme High School in Belmond, Iowa; two years at Clarion Goldfield in Clarion, Iowa; and three years at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City, Iowa. John taught physical education, world history, geography and driver's education while coaching wrestling, football, baseball, softball and golf.

He built Belmond-Klemme into a successful wrestling program with multiple winning seasons, state qualifiers and two state champions. He also coached a state champion at Bishop Heelan. John's teams won more than 100 duals and he was named Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1991.