Walker W. Vick — a coach and athletic director at Manteca High for 38 years — is being inducted into the Manteca Hall of Fame.
The dinner and induction ceremonies are taking place Saturday, May 21, at the Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane. Tickets are $60 apiece and are available through the Manteca Boys & Girls Club, 545 W. Alameda St., or by calling 239.5437.
Other inductees Phil Waterford, Special Recognition; Richard Moon Yee, Health Care; Randall K. Yee, Health Care; Michael Bruce Mallory, Business; Peter P. Dalben, Government; Arnita Marie Yepez. Community Service; George (Joe) Handy, Education; and Henry C. Long, Agriculture.
Vick is being inducted in the field of athletics.
“There are very few people, who in their profession have touched as many lives as Coach Walter Vick did,” noted Jack Thomson in nominating Vick. “I feel very fortunate that I was able to play for Coach Vick, and also teach and coach alongside him later at Manteca High. (Vick) was one of the most respected coaches, athletic directors, and basketball officials in the valley. His awards and recognition at both the local and state level are second to none.”
Among Vick’s accomplishments:
uHead varsity baseball coach at Manteca High from 1964 to 1972 with four league championships and recognition as Valley Oak League Coach of the Year four times.
Assistant football coach at Manteca High 1960 to 1968.
Head varsity football coach at Manteca High 1969 to 1981. He has the second highest amount of wins of all time among Manteca High football coaches at 76 wins, 42 losses and 4 ties. His tenure included five league championships and five VOL Coach of the year awards.
Lions All Star head football coach in 1976.
Athletic director of Manteca High for 17 years from 1985 to 2002.
Sac-Joaquin Section board service from 2002 to 2014.
Sac-Joaquin varsity basketball official from 1961 to 1988.
Manteca High physical education department chair from 1965 to 2002.
Manteca field house named the Walker Vick Field House in his honor in 2005.
American Legion baseball coach.
Manteca Babe Ruth baseball coach.
Member of Manteca Lions Club.
He is in the Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame. Vick also was the section athletic director of the year in 1987, the California State Athletic Director of the Year in 1989, and the Western Regional Athletic Director of the Year in 1989.
The 1954 Oroville High graduate earned his degree in physical education and teaching credential from Chico State University.
Vick was the manager of the Tuolumne Meadows Pack Station in Yosemite National Park from 1990 to 2014. He started working for the Park Service in 1981. He was hired to teach in Manteca in 1959.
His hobbies include watching high school and college sports. He also likes taking backcountry horse trips as well as golfing, and fishing.