David Jack: First wrestler added to South Lake Tahoe's Champion Plaza

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was a walk down memory lane Thursday as David Jack was honored with a personalized brick at South Lake Tahoes Champion's Plaza. Surrounded by friends, family, city officials, and the wrestling community, the star wrestler was honored for his accomplishments on the mats from South Tahoe High to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to the Olympic Trials.

David was the first California state wrestling finalist to come from South Tahoe High School.

He Said STHS has always put out great skiers, and he wanted to be a good wrestler but there was no roadmap.

After graduation in 1975, he took his skills to Cal Poly SLO where NCAA Wrestling Coach of the Year Vaughan Hitchcock coached. He went for engineering, not thinking wrestling would be a major part of his college career.

"Nobody expected anything out of South Lake Tahoe in wrestling, then I popped up on the radar," said David.

He went to his first Olympic trial at the age of 18, and on his first U.S. Jr. World Team at the age of 19. He blew out his knee his senior year at Cal Poly.

But that isn't the end of his wrestling story. He always thought that if he could get bigger, better, stronger there were no limits. He trained for the 1984 Olympics, wrestling at 220 lbs. His Olympic dream may have ended at the trials, but his determination did not.

"I've had some great coaches in my corner. You can't get there by yourself," David said.

He said to be your best on the mat you need to have determination, show up, work hard and hang out with good wrestlers.

In the 1979-80 season, David said he knew they had a good wrestling team at Cal Poly. They traveled to the powerhouse University of Iowa who were ranked No. 1 in the country and defending NCAA Division I national champion. On December 8, 1979, the Iowa team arrived at Mott Athletics Center with a 34-match winning streak and a plethora of nationally ranked wrestlers coached by Dan Gable, the legendary Olympian. Little unfazed Cal Poly also entered the center that day. David Jack (see photo above) was one of two Cal Poly wrestlers to win by fall, three others won by decisions in a 27-12 Mustang victory before 1,547 fans. Cal Poly was actually ranked No. 1 for a couple of weeks that year. The 40th anniversary of that team was held in San Luis Obispo in 2019 and David was in attendance.

He became a three-time AAU-All American.

Under the guidance of construction engineering teacher Ron Mann at STHS, David learned the skills that have taken him through his adult life. He helped build the ski shack at the high school and credits Mann as being the most influential teacher he ever had.

"He was committed to getting kids to the next step," David said of Mann.

David went to Cal Poly as an architecture major, not the easier path when involved in sports. He has spent his career as a construction engineer

His mantra has been passed on to his athletic children. His son, Clayton Jack, compiled a 121-37 career record at Oregon State and placed fourth at the NCAA championships in 2012 and his daughter was a star volleyball player.

Some of David's teammates from STHS were at the presentation including the Borges brothers David and Don, who themselves were wrestlers before, during, and after high school. Some of the South Tahoe High wrestlers were also in attendance.

The Jack family moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1956, the year before David was born. Four of his five siblings were on hand for the ceremony on April 7. They are all pictured above (Sue, Paul, Marie, Lorri, with Sandy missing).

He has kept his home on the South Shore though he and his wife raised their children in Vallejo. He still travels for work. After retirement next year he'll look at some consulting work while enjoying Lake Tahoe.

This marks the second time a non-snow sport athlete was honored with a brick. Boxer Juan Torres received a brick at the inauguration of the plaza with ten others from the ranks of top skiers and snowboarders.

The next group of inductees into Champions Plaza will be decided this fall. Watch for applications on https://www.cityofslt.us/1057/Champions-Plaza.