Jack A. Devincenzi

Athletics

Jack Devincenzi spent a large part of his adult life teaching, coaching and advising students. A graduate of Fresno State where he played baseball, he began his teaching and coaching career at Lathrop School and ended it 36 years later at New Haven School. His active life included positions as a teacher, coach, vice-principal and sports director. No matter what his job title, it always included working with the youth of the community. When he began his teaching and coaching career in 1958, many of his students had difficulty pronouncing his last name, so he gained the name “Mr. D”. His physical education program at Lathrop School was recognized county-wide and he spent time with his colleagues in the Manteca Unified School District on developing a Physical Education curriculum for the school district. His coaching activities were not limited to the junior high grades as he also coached basketball and baseball for a number of years at East Union High School and was involved in summer youth baseball leagues. In every instance, Jack’s coaching and teaching methods motivated his students and athletes to do their best in the classroom and on the playing fields. Thousands of students remember “Mr. D” as a tough, but fair, teacher, coach and disciplinarian. Jack Devincenzi “flew under the radar” during his professional life in education and athletics, never seeking publicity. Because of his outstanding efforts in his profession and his long dedication to our local youth, Jack is most deserving of induction into the Manteca-Lathrop-French Camp Hall of Fame.