Longtime shotput and discus coach John Donch celebrates with his niece, Colleen Lenahan, who set the shotput record at Oak Ridge High School during the Sac Joaquin Sectionals meet in 2005. Photo courtesy of Susan and Gerald Lenahan

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - For longtime track and field coach John Donch, receiving the news that he was recently selected for induction into the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame was a pleasant surprise.

For Donch, coaching was always about the youngsters, not the recognition. 

Donch, whose coaching career in the shotput and discus events began more than 40 years ago, established himself as one of the top area coaches in the sport in the early 1980s when he helped former Cordova High standout Karen Nickerson set the school discus throwing record of 164' 10," set in 1982. That mark still stands to this day, just like his impact on the student athletes he coached. 

With coaching stints at area schools such as Cordova, Christian Brothers and Oak Ridge high schools as well as Bishop Manogue Catholic in Reno, Donch coached several top track and field athletes. According to Donch, one of his favorite memories was coaching his niece, Colleen Lenahan, who in 2005 set the all-time record in the shotput at Oak Ridge with a mark of 43'7," as well as the discus at 130'11," both of which remain school records to this day. 

John Donch was a standout on the Lancers football team in the 1970s. Photo courtesy of Susan and Gerald Lenahan

Donch always found great joy in coaching, which is one of the big reasons why he continued to do so even after suffering a debilitating stroke in 2005. He suffered loss of function in his right arm, foot and lower leg, and had the speech center of his brain affected, causing speech aphasia. Even so, Donch never wanted to stop coaching. 

After the stroke, Donch returned to coaching and assisted the throwing sports at both Vista Del Lago and Folsom High schools up until 2024, his final year in coaching. Even now, Donch can be found walking the track during meets, observing the sport and the students. 

Prior to his coaching career, Donch was a standout linebacker for the Lancers football program, where he was named an All-City defensive end in 1973. He was also a part of the 1975 Lancers team that won both Delta League and Capitol City titles. 

According to his sister, Susan Donch Lenahan, he is honored by the Hall of Fame selection but that wasn't why he set out to coach.

“As nice as it is to be recognized by the Hall of Fame, it has always been about the kids for him as a teacher and coach, helping them to discover and learn the throwing sports,” Lenahan said.

The Cordova Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 13 at Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at https://form.jotform.com/cordovacouncil/rcaa-reception-tickets-2025.