One man’s quest to foster youthful athletes. despite his physical challenges
by Chuck Bruns
Veteran English teacher and track coach, Chuck Bruns is our guest writer this edition. A graduate of U.C. Davis, he participated in the school’s track and cross-country teams. Later Bruns pursued his graduate degree at Tulane University. He has taught English and coached track for over 30 years at Woodland and Delta High Schools,
Currently Bruns lives in Woodland with his wife Dr. Jennifer Bruns and three daughters.
This blog depicts Bruns’ admiration for a fellow coach who, despite medical challenges, has dedicated his life to inspiring local track athletes, including a member of the U.S. Olympic team.
The Sac Joaquin Section cross country championships were recently contested over the rocky, dirt trails adjacent to Folsom High School on the Willow Hills course. A pristine lake with lilies, Oaks in radiant fall color, and Willows that decorate the expansive course to be run by thousands creates an idyllic backdrop fitting a fall championship. Hope knocks at the doorway.
Extraordinary competition unfolds, not fun healthy jogs but a quest for perfection. Top varsity high school teams of harriers earned trips to the CIF State Meet to be contested in Fresno over the Thanksgiving weekend and a majority of section high schoolers pushed limits to run fast enough to record personal best times. Nearly 2000 athletes competed in what typically is the end of the season championship race of mid-November. Following each of the contests, banners held and medals draped around still sweat soaked athletes create a backdrop for team photos of lifelong remembrance. Under clear skies on a cool 60 degree morning, a lone discus cage standing like a relic of battles fought around its circular cement ring awaits athletes, coaches, parents and fans as they enter the starting line area walking past.
The discus and shot put originate from the Golden Greek Age when Peace prevailed and the contemporary war weaponry implements were used in competition between the most “fit” athletes seeking perfection. The Olympic motto of “Citius, Altius, Fortius - Communiter” or in English, “Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together” seems relevant here. The throwing of discs that will be tossed from the ring and cage now await winter’s ending and thawing warmth as track and field embraces hibernation. The ironic juxtaposition of the discus ring and cage towers just 50 feet from the common cross country race starting line on the grass where a well thrown discus might land and only a mere 30 feet from the finish line where the rocky trail circles the lake taking runners up and down local challenging hills. In another direction from the “ground zero” placement of the ring and cage - just ten feet away - is the entry gate and fencing allowing close up views of the finish line area and runners to be at the ready on the long starting line. Next to the gate, close to the throwing center, is a lone framed and wood shingled roof kiosk of plywood which invites attention to the photos representing running perfection.
Legendary Coach John Donch motivates current athletes with photos of previous “greats” at the section finals in Folsom.
Hundreds of glossy photographs of runners running are placed on all sides of this structure - some, celebrities of running lore, and some not carefully covered in gleaming images of runners at their best. The photos had been placed only a few hours before all of the day’s constant races - 27 contests of freshmen to seniors, boys and girls over the 5K and two mile courses from early morning into the dusk. The photos display runners in uniforms from Los Banos to Grass Valley, Vacaville to Sonora and the nearly 200 high schools representing a large swath of Sac Joaquin section harriers in a vibrant kaleidoscope of “colors” bleeding for attention, the uniforms of hope. Onlookers hover all day long between races as if they are seeking simple translation and a key to a mystery solving the “secret” human recipe that pushes one forth into the tenacious design of the will to run faster, compete well and endure through the great pain of distance running and life. The throng stands, admire and view into the souls of the young runners on display against the hardwood. One man, a local legend to only a few in the “throwing world” of the discus cage and ring - had printed and placed all the photos to inspire all who cared to look - early that morning. He is known to say, “put kids first.”
Riding a silver and gray recumbent bicycle has worked best for John Donch when traveling between Folsom, Vista Del Lago and Cordova High Schools over the past 20 years. But now he is growing older and more frail, and the bike travel is difficult. John Donch, one of the premier California shot put and discus coaches - the throwing events of track and field at the high school level - knows the local American River bicycle trail and how to negotiate his three wheeler to his workplace which finds him teaching “throwers” how to negotiate around shot put and discus rings of hard gray asphalt. He is a stroke survivor and at 67 years, continues to struggle in finding the best words to elaborate on his simple fixes of coaching because his English syntax forms primitive sentences under great duress. Finding to articulate the best words, his non-verbal body language and encouragement begs his student/athlete or fellow coach to help him “find” the communication. He always smiles and jokes as much as he can, but the jokes are simpler than once when he was the class clown, the one to always create a happy environment with his light hearted charisma. And despite being slower in his delivery, he continues to coach the shot put and discus in top high school programs of the Sac Joaquin California Section while searching for great lengths found after the toss and throw. He models and still lives his oft quoted line from his pre-stroke years in sage advice, “leave your ego at home” before going to practice.
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Coach Donch guiding a student athlete at the prestigious Ironwood Track and Field Tournament in Idaho
Coach Donch suffered an incapacitating stroke in June of 2003 at his bachelor apartment in Sacramento. Despite appearing healthy in his mid-forties, he had suffered a sudden serious stroke alone in his apartment and several days passed before severe paralysis of his right side, an inability to create words and the severe numbness in his face left him forever changed. Before his sudden stroke he had planned to be a clinician later that summer in July at the annual Ironwood “throws” camp in Idaho which had become a “throwing Mecca” for all who embrace the “throws” of track and field. He would be able to teach the shot put and discus as well as the javelin and hammer as standard carte du jour of the premier “throws” camp in America. Gold medalist Olympians, national and world class “throwers” about to reach the next rung of perfection would be in attendance at Ironwood as well as a who’s who of top coaches. But not John Donch who arrived by ambulance before his lengthy stay at Kaiser Hospital of Sacramento.
One future Olympian, Woodland, California native Jillian Camarena planned to attend Ironwood to make some fixes and improvements to her throwing abilities while still a scholarship athlete at Stanford. John Donch knew her well due to a long friendship with her coach, Rob Rathbun. Donch even had the opportunity to coach her at the most prestigious national high school track and field event: the Arcadia Invitational in Southern California where she won both the shot put and discus in 2000 as a high school senior.
time U.S. Olympic team member and Stanford athlete, Jillian Camarena
Coach Donch had spent many hours helping, advising and reflecting on her high school throwing technique with Rob Rathbun, head coach and throws specialist for the Wolves of Woodland High and in her senior year of 2000 after being invited to compete at Arcadia, just weeks before committing to Stanford University she suddenly found out that Coach Rathbun was prevented from attending Arcadia to coach her. Arguably, Coach Rathbun is one of the greatest high school coaches in America and continues today out of Boise, Idaho with many a best in the nation high schooler under his tutelage.
Coach Donch, who had been teaching biology at Christian Brothers High School of Sacramento and coaching throwers was going to be at Arcadia in sunny Southern California, he didn’t miss a beat in offering to be “there” for Camarena before her highlight competition. Donch had a charismatic, down to earth personality that made him giggle, laugh and burst out with just a hint of bravado routinely while coaching and hanging with his best friends, throwing coaches and throwing athletes. He giggled at his opportunity to coach Camarena and indeed she won her greatest “double” of her career at the Arcadia stage comforted by his oversight and support.
There is an unspoken fraternal order found among coaches. It is often a sacred group where bearing witness, sharing empathy and wisdom maintain high levels of perfection. Donch will continue to surround himself with colleagues sharing insights and keys to better “break down” and discuss the quirks and insights of throwing an implement into the wind with intentions to go farther. He has a wake of stories told about his days before the stroke and after as well. He has attended the Ironwood clinic and several Olympic Trials since his stroke. He graduated from Cordova High School in 1974 as a football player and track and field thrower and he later coached at his alma mater as one of his several high schools.
“Not everyone is perfect” is all Donch said to a curious 8th grader after asking in a confused way why “he” was being recruited to attend Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California if he was not a Catholic. Perfection hides in our actions which are cast over each day’s time travel. John Donch lives to coach, teach and inspire basic life skills.