Educator × Developer × Athlete

John Waugaman

Building digital experiences and shaping young minds in Tucson, Arizona

PDGA Pro #52959 VFW Teacher of the Year Lock Jaw Founder
01

About Me

I'm an educator with over 20 years of experience shaping young minds, and a passionate developer building digital solutions for communities I care about.

Currently teaching 4th grade at Tully Magnet Elementary School in Tucson, I bring the same creativity and dedication to my web development projects—particularly in the disc golf space, where I'm building tools to help players improve and connect.

My journey from coaching cross-country to coding Firebase apps reflects my belief that the best learning happens when we combine passion with purpose.

20+
Years Teaching
VFW
Regional Teacher of the Year 2023
3
Live Apps Shipped
Student Lives Impacted
02

Teaching Experience

4th Grade Teacher

Tully Magnet Elementary School Aug 2023 – Present
  • 21st Century Teacher integrating technology into daily curriculum
  • Organize weekly student playground activities

3rd Grade Teacher

Steele Elementary School Aug 2019 – May 2023
  • Coached Cross Country and Basketball teams
  • VFW Regional Teacher of the Year 2023
  • Steele Teacher of the Year 2019

3rd–5th Grade Teacher

Sewell Elementary School 2012 – May 2019
  • Coached Cross Country, Basketball, and Softball
  • Organized Community Garden initiative
  • Served as District Technology Liaison

1st & 4th Grade Teacher, P.E.

Blenman Elementary School Feb 2004 – May 2012
  • Coached multiple sports programs
  • Sponsored Student Council
  • Produced annual Talent Shows
03

Disc Golf Athlete

Competing as a PDGA Professional in the MP50 division and serving as a Certified Rules Official. Founder and Team Captain of Lock Jaw Disc Golf — Tucson's desert disc golf destination.

943
PDGA Rating
9
Career Wins
45
Career Events
#381
2025 Global Masters Rank
4
2025 Tournament Wins
$2,443
Career Earnings
2025 Season Highlights — MP50
🏋Show Low FREEZE
🏋Show Low CRAZE
🏋September Flex @ El Rio
🏋May-Day Flex @ El Rio
Lemmon Drop B-Tier
Sun Screamin Flex
Putting Improver — Personal Stats View App ↗
73.1%
Accuracy
1,198
Makes
1,639
Attempts
1216
ELO Rating
41,984
Total Points
#1
App Leaderboard
04

Skills & Expertise

Education

  • Elementary Education (K-5)
  • Curriculum Development
  • Cognitively Guided Instruction
  • 21st Century Learning
  • Restorative Practices
  • SEI Training

Technology

  • Firebase & Firestore
  • JavaScript / React
  • Web Development
  • MCP & API Integration
  • Blockchain / Cardano
  • Educational Technology

Leadership

  • Athletic Coaching
  • Tournament Organizing
  • Community Organizing
  • Student Mentorship
  • Program Development
  • Technology Integration
05

Featured Projects

Featured App

Putting Improver

Comprehensive putting practice tracker for disc golf with leaderboards, head-to-head ELO matches, achievement systems, and custom practice routines. Freemium model with Stripe integration.

FirebaseFirestoreStripeAnalytics
Visit Site ↗
Platform

Tournament Director Tools

Full-stack event management platform — participants, events, seasons, sponsors, payouts, and more. Built from real TD experience running tournaments in Southern Arizona.

FirebaseReactPayoutsSeasons
Visit Site ↗
Brand & Web App

Lock Jaw Disc Golf

Tucson's desert disc golf destination. Spin-dyed custom discs, merch, course reviews, and tournaments. Full e-commerce and home base for the Lock Jaw app ecosystem.

FirebaseJavaScriptStripeE-commerce
Visit Site ↗
Blockchain

Disc Golf DAO

Decentralized autonomous organization for disc golf community governance built on Cardano blockchain. Smart contracts enabling community-owned decision-making for the sport.

CardanoSmart ContractsWeb3
Education

PLANY Lesson Planner

Comprehensive lesson planning application with scheduling systems and calendar integration for educators. Purpose-built from 20+ years of real classroom insight.

FirebaseReactCalendar API
06

Get in Touch

Whether you're interested in collaboration, have questions about my work, or just want to connect—I'd love to hear from you.