John Volek Position: Director of Athletics Institution: Sierra College

John Volek began his relationship with Sierra College 42 years ago as a student and football player for the Wolverines from 1965 - 1967. A Placer High School graduate, he was recruited to play football at Sierra by Buzz Ostrom who became his mentor. Volek received his Master's degree in Education from UC Riverside in 1972.

Volek began coaching young athletes in 1968 as the Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Football Coach for UC Riverside. This was the beginning of a long and illustrious career of teaching and coaching students that lead him from the beaches of Santa Cruz High School to Mt. San Jacinto College and then to Walla Walla Community College in Washington where Volek received coach of the year awards in 1985, '86, and '87. In 1986 the football team, under his leadership, won a National Championship. In 1988 he moved back to California and directed the Recreational Leadership Program and was the Head Coach for Fresno City College until 1995, again that year receiving a Coach of the Year award. Later that same year, Volek took the position as Head Coach for Football at California State University, Sacramento, and held that position until 2003. In his first year as Head Coach, his team won the American West Conference.

In 2003 John Volek was offered and accepted the position as dean of physical education and athletics at Sierra College. Back home again on the familiar soil of his days as a "gritty lineman," Volek has developed the Wolverines athletic teams to national recognition. The first year that he undertook his role as Dean, the California Community College Commission on Athletics and National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) named Sierra College first in the nation for overall athletic excellence. Since then, Sierra College Athletics has ranked in the top four positions. In 2006 Volek and his teammates were inducted into the Wolverine Athletic Association (WAA) Hall of Fame for their win of the 1966 Lettuce Bowl that landed them the Golden Valley Conference Championship.

Sierra College has been at the heart of so many beginnings for John Volek. This is where he met Vicki Merle. He and Vicki, now married for 41 years, have three healthy and successful adult children.