Walker W. Vick

Walker Vick is an educator who has contributed to the Manteca community in a multitude of ways. He was a teacher and coach at Manteca High School for over four decades. Walker also served on the Sac-Joaquin Section after his retirement from education for twelve years. Walker contributed over fifty-four years to promote athletics in the area.

Walker’s list of accomplishments put him in elite company. He was Sac-Joaquin Section Athletic Director of the Year in 1987. He was later named the California State Athletic Director of the year in 1989 and also the United States Regional Athletic Director of the Year. He was inducted into the Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2012 for his efforts as both a coach and athletic director.  Coach Vick was one of the few coaches who was a head coach for two major sports at the same time, serving as the head football coach and head baseball coach at Manteca High School. He made his mark in football, where he was Manteca’s head coach from 1969-1980 and held the school record for wins until last year. He was widely recognized as one of the best defense-minded coaches in the state. His appreciation from the community at Manteca High was recently recognized when the new field house was named “The Walker Vick Field House.” After retiring, Walker began working for the Sac-Joaquin Section Office.

With all his awards and accomplishments notwithstanding, his role in athletics and education go far beyond. There are few people who will always be addressed with the endearing term, “Coach.” Walker is one of those people. He touched many lives and will continue to do so as many of the people he coached and taught now teach and coach in our community as well as many other communities.