Washington State Cougars QB John Mateer’s Parents Encouraged Him To Pursue A Career In Football, Despite Their Athletic Background Being In Swimming

Talented quarterback John Mateer, for the Washington State Cougars, brings together a family deeply connected to sport and incredible feats. Judy Newkirk and Steve Mateer, his parents, have made their mark athletically and professionally to inspire his entry into the world of sport.

His mother, Judy Newkirk, graduated from Klein Forest High School in the Class of 1991; Judy originally went to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1992 to swim for a year.

She remained in school at Southern Methodist University (SMU) and graduated with her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems in 1996, with a minor in Economics.

Besides athletics, Judy has had a great career in the corporate world.

She started her journey with Wirenix Inc. in Dallas, Texas, as a Program Manager.

She moved to CVS Caremark Corporation and worked there in various capacities for seven years: Manager of Account Management, Strategic Account Executive, and Senior Account Manager.

In 2012, Judy joined Mercer as an Analyst and stayed with them for three years.

She then worked as a benefits consultant at Hays Companies from 2015 to 2020.

Judy has held the position of Senior Account Executive at Point6 Healthcare since 2020.

In 2023, she added another role to her portfolio as a Senior Account Consultant at Marsh McLennan Agency.

Apart from her professional successes, Judy is committed to community service.

She volunteers at the North Texas Food Bank, an example of her commitment to giving something back.

John Mateer’s Father Has Been The Coach At Lakeside Aquatic Club for 11 years

Steve Mateer, John’s dad, has made his mark on competitive swimming.

In his youth, Steve swam competitively from age six through college at the University of Missouri.

With more than three decades of coaching, Steve is highly regarded in swimming.

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Steve has been the Coach Development Coordinator at Lakeside Aquatic Club (LAC) since 2013.

He oversees the Age Group program in The Colony and has been instrumental in developing young swimmers.

Before joining LAC, he spent 20 years at the City of Plano Swimmers (COPS) in various capacities, including Head Coach and Head Age Group Coach.

Steve’s accolades include Texas Age Group Coach of the Year twice, North Texas Age Group Coach of the Year four times, and Texas Senior Coach of the Year.

Likewise, he has been recognized three times as a USA Swimming Coach of Excellence.

In 2010, Steve represented USA Swimming at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Hawaii, further cementing his reputation as a top-tier coach.

John Mateer’s Parents Actively Support Him And His Sister In Their Careers

Judy and Steve remain behind the scenes and support their children as much as they can, and there is no doubt that such encouragement brings success to John as a quarterback.

Besides John, the Mateers have a daughter, McKayla Mateer.

McKayla graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Geological and Geophysical Engineering.

She has experience as a piano teacher at Pink Couch Studios LLC and a Geotechnical Engineering Intern at Rio Tinto.

Though Judy and Steve’s paths were athletic in swimming, they have whole heartedly supported John and McKayla onto their respective career choice.

Their dedication and hard work have played a significant role in molding their professional life.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• John Mateer attended Little Elm High School in Little Elm, Texas.
• Mateer was named the Cougars starting quarterback for their first game of the season against Portland State.
• John Mateer is 6 ft 1 inch tall and weighs 219 lb.