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Memory Book

To describe my relationship with Jim I struggle between using a few profound and loving words or volumes of words because of his vast impact on so many lives. Not only did I consider Jim one of my closest spiritual friends, but as a parent of a Division I baseball player, Jim was available to me to provide support-always available. Â

I wasn't a golfing friend, we didn't talk about the 49ers or his other favorite sports teams. Â I am a woman closer in age to his daughters. But except for his wisdom, my relationship with Jim felt ageless and my admiration for him was so heartfelt. Â

Over the last several years, Jim was always available for my family whether it was in person, simply remembering something we had talked about, or referring to our copies of the Tao -and we each have our own. Â I remember texting Jim when my son took the car out with a friend for the first time and talking with him over coffee when my son wanted to go with friends somewhere I didn't approve of. In these situations, Jim would direct me back to what I had learned from him and remind me that my son had the tools to navigate through these rites of passage.

Jim understood the relationship between parents and children and the impact coaches have on their athletes' lives. Â He provided my family with tools to enjoy our son's college baseball experience as well as other challenges during this time when boys become men. Â Â My husband and I felt great comfort knowing that Jim was mentoring our son.

Over the years, in our family we spoke often of Jim Ã¢'Â¬Â¦."What would Jim say?" "I'm gonna tell Jim" and my son's response-"Go ahead!" which kind of made me wonder what he knew that I didn't! Â We continue to speak often about Jim. Â We laugh, we cry and we continue to love him. Â Jim changed our lives and our Â family dynamics are so much more balanced for having known, learned from and loved him.

During the last few weeks of his life, Jim told me not to worry about him as he found joy every day. This was so typical of Jim. Â Now we are put to the test-to apply what we have all learned from him and to pay it forward.

With Jim forever in my heart, I believe I'm up for the challenge.

Cathryn Hunley

Coach Sochor gave the Dixon Rotary a glimpse of the type of man/coach/mentor he was. It was a spring meeting during his run of those great DII playoff teams. As a long time UCD football season ticket holder I thought: "It'll be great to hear from Coach Sochor about the great things he and the coaching staff had accomplished during the past season, and maybe a hint of what was coming for the next." Â Well that wasn't what I heard Ã¢'Â¬Â¦ but what he did talk about was so much better.

Â As he started to go through the slides (pre Power Point eh), it was clear that he was only going to talk about his players: past and present. What I remember is how proud he sounded of his guys as he told us combinations of the following: names, years & positions they played, majors, hometowns and most importantly, what they were now doing. Â Â He told us about teachers, military officers, physicians, engineering, biologists, farmers, politicians, small business owners and on and on Ã¢'Â¬Â¦ and did not attempt to hide how proud he was of their successes. Â

Now that's a COACH.

Charlie Benn

I played strong safety for Coach Sochor from 1979 thru 1982...
I had the pleasure to interview him, along with coaches Foster and Biggs earlier this year and wrote an article about the Legacy of Belief created by Coach Sochor:

http://www.happyliving.com/2015/02/04/something-significant-uc-davis-football/

The four years that I spent immersed in the culture of U.C. Davis football influenced my life significantly. The Aggie legacy of belief has had a powerful impact on the man I am today. It helped me know that my personal power comes from within. It taught me that I could use my power to empower others. I learned that when we understand simple things in depth, we can produce amazing results.

I simply want to say thank you to Coach Sochor!! Â

Matt Gersper, Aggie player (1979-82)

I was lucky to have Coach in my life as a young man ('83-'85) and then again nearly 30 years later reuniting with him and having him share his wisdom with both my children. Danny and Hailey found an inner peace after their meetings and refer to him in their daily lives today. His legacy will go on through the 1000's he touched, coached, mentored, and befriended. I miss him but I find solace knowing he lived as full a life as anybody I have ever known and in the end found true happiness every day, moment to moment. Rest in peace coach...

Â Dan Hayes, Â Aggie Â player (1981-85)

Jim was an early mentor for me. After two years coaching with the JV team, then head coach Herb Schmalenberger elevated me to varsity D-line coach. Jim at that time was defensive co-ordinator and he took me under his wing and taught me a lot about the game and how to be an effective coach. Because of Herb's offer and Jim guidance along with later mentoring by Bob Foster I was able to grow as a coach and become very successful at my craft. I worked for and with both Jim and Bob for over twenty years. The confidence all three of them showed in me was a big boost in my desire to be the best coach, in all respects, that I could possibly be. I will be grateful to them all for as long as I live.

Fred Arp, former player and assistant coach (1965-2007)

In huge contrast to people from my high school class who were attending other universities, my badminton teacher in 1973 was our UCD football coach. Coach Sochor did not delegate the class to some grad student, or anyone else. He showed Â up for every class and taught us skills and strategy which remain with me today. As a high school teacher for 35 years, I hope I was able to pass on to my home ec students the same legacy: show up every day and teach skills students can use the rest of their lives. Thanks, Coach for fantastic memories as I watched the Aggies excel on the football field, and for showing up to that long-ago badminton class. Â

Linda Steigerwald Hubbs BS Consumer Food Science '76, Credential, '77

Jim Sochor is simply the nicest person I have ever known. Â Jim was a teacher, a mentor, a philosopher, and the best darn football coach I have ever been around. Â I had the honor, privilege, and good fortune of calling him my friend for 48 years. Â I only wish that we could have had another forty-eight. Â I dearly miss Jim already. Â He was a great man. Â

John Herrera, Aggie player (1965-67)

Dear Jimmy,

It's been over a year since we had lunch in your town Davis. We didn't much reminisce. I will now. Our connections.

It was the mid-fifties.You were the star quarterback; I was head yell leader. I led the student body to personal Jimmy Sochor spirit yells when you got hurt in a game. We had the same girl friend at different times. Then there was the time when you, Fan, and Ford went "pickin" and my parents wouldn't let me go. 1960 in Paris in the basement caves listening to jazz and dancing. The UC Davis reunion at the War Memorial in San Francisco when you introduced the me as the speaker. Years later I introduced you at our 50th high school reunion. Â At Jerry McMahon's birthday party standing on the back of the yacht I asked how a mild manner man can have such a brilliant career motivating non-scholarship players to winning seasons. Quotes from the way of Lao Tzu. Â

Great and profound. That is you Jim Sochor.

Later my friend,
David Miln Smith

I was fortunate to play for Coach his first two years as Head Coach. Â While there were many football highlights during those years, I think one of my fondest memories came many years later. We were at a Aggie golf tournament at Wildhorse and at the end of the day, a group of us were talking with Coach. Coach asked how we were and then proceeded to tell us all (at least 15 years after graduation) what our individual majors had been. Â There were four of us; Bob MacArthur, Tom Odell, Gary Woodrell and me. Coach remembered that Bob, Gary and Tom were all engineering students and knew their concentration of study. Pretty remarkable for a man who was involved in so many lives. He touched and impacted us all!!

Ron Van De Pol, Aggie player (1970-71)

To share, I thank Coach Sochor for believing in me and being a contributing figure who ushered me into manhood. Coach provided a standard of excellence that I employ to this day. I'm am very proud to have been, however small a contributor to his legacy, one of his Aggie Greats! I will never forget his voice to me during our practices, "don't hit my quarterback (Ken O'brien) Mo"!!!

Maurice "Mo" Geddis, MA, MFTI/PCCI
former Aggie player, #72 (1981-1983)

I was honored to be one of the first Aggies to be coached by Coach Sochor in the fall of 1967. His wisdom and calm manner was special on and off the field. I join Aggie land in celebrating the great life of Jim Sochor.

Peace,
Dr. Stan Oden (UC Davis 69')

I can remember Jimmy when our grammar schools in San Francisco played basketball against each other. Â I was given the task of guarding Jimmy. Â

Â When the game was over I had held him to some 20 points and we lost, I think it was 39 -16. Â He was the high scorer by far. And now that my first experience with Jimmy was behind me I never wanted to guard this small outstanding ball player again. Â

Â My wish was granted as we attended the same Junior and Senior High Schools together. Â Now I could support his efforts. I could watch this fellow classmate develop into the wonderful athlete and great man he soon became.

Â Some years later our paths crossed again when a group of us that grew up in San Francisco and live in Northern California would meet for lunch. This gave us an opportunity to catch up on our activities and how our families were doing. Jimmy had not changed. He still has that wonderful perspective on life that allowed him to influence so many others in a very positive way. Â

Â A few weeks ago I was thinking that it was time for me to set up another lunch for the guys. Now I am left with the 66 years of memories. They are good but I would prefer if I could break bread with Jimmy and the guys one more time. He was a wonderful man and a great teacher and had a very positive impact on so many. Including me.

Â We were members of the 1956 graduating class of the George Washington High School Eagles. Jimmy was an academic leader and lettered in 3 sports. You could see his greatness then. Â

Peter Gilbert, Â Lincoln City Councilman

Cecelia and I send our condolences and our prayers for Jim's eternal rest. We are so thankful that we had the opportunity to see Jim and talk with him last summer after the many years without seeing any of you.

Jay and Cecelia Â Fredrich

I was lucky enough to play with Jimmy at. SFSC for two years as well as be coached by him. I assumed a coaching career after college and many of my players played at Davis. I saw jim at least twice a year since in sixties and he always looked and acted the same. He was a great man and will be misses greatly by all who new him.

Don Briemle

I had the opportunity to play for Coach for two years. He was man of leaders Ã¢'Â¬Â¦..

Coach Greg Zavala, former player (1970-71)
1996/2004 US Olympic Â Greco Team

Â Â I was saddened to hear today of the passing of Coach Sochor. I'm sure he had positive influence on numerous individuals especially amongst the coaching ranks. I would like to add my brief story of which he may never of known how he influenced my life. Being a defensive player 76-79, #91 , I did not have direct contact on a daily basis. However after pursuing a professional baseball career, I applied Â to medical school. I needed to have letters of recommendation. Â his was six years after I had put on an Aggie uniform. Coach Sochor readily agreed and Â wrote an eloquent and most flattering letter, a copy of which my father kept in his personal papers. I am convinced that his letter was essential to my acceptance into medical school. As in medicine, one may not know how one's career and interactions have influences on others' lives. Â his is most Â certainly true of Coach Sochor.

Brian J. Buckley M.D., former player (1978-79)

I was very so to hear of the passing of Coach Sochor. Â His leadership style has influenced the way I view the world and perform many areas of my life. Â I was a better person after playing for Coach Sochor.

May God bless his family during this difficult time.

Joe Iacono #72, former player (1986-88)

1) One of the first times I decided to meet with Coach Sochor, we met downtown. Â I was struggling with my golf game and was not in a great spot mentally, but decided to give talking to Coach a try. Â I was skeptical, to say the least. Â By the end of the hour session, I felt like I had undergone shock therapy. Â All of a sudden I was feeling good, and optimistic about my game for the first time in a while. Â A few weeks later, I had my best tournament score of all time (at the time) with a final round of 66 at the Alister Mackenzie Invitational in 2013. Â I was pumped, amped and zoned in even when I knew I was crushing it. Â I refuse to believe the short time spent with him and my best round are not directly correlated. Â

2) In my 5th year on the team, I had been meeting with Coach once every two weeks or so. Â I heard news of his wife's hip surgery and told him that it is no problem if we wait until our meeting, as I'm sure she would need assistance during recovery. Â He asks "Well, how is your game and how do you feel?" Â I told him honestly that it wasn't where I would have liked it to be. Â He said "Come to my house and we will talk about it." Â So I did, he took me into his house right after her surgery (she was on the couch resting when I walked in) and he still made time for me and my thoughts in the midst of all that. Â To me, that sums up his genuine willingness to help right there. Â

3) He loved to talk about "magic" and how everything we need to create in sports it is within ourselves. Â My favorite story of his of all time is when he recalled playing at the El Macero Classic Fundraiser that the Aggie Golf Team hosts every year. He told me :

"I have to admit I am no good out of the sand, I made a triple bogey struggling to get out of the sand on the 14th hole. Â But I began to think as I walked off the hole, 'You know, if I birdie in, I will have quite a shot at getting low net score for the tournament still.'"

Â He then begins to smirk at me and says "and guess what my last four holes were?" Â I stared at him blankly, "No...." Â

He says: Â "Oh yes, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie. And that was how I won the low net at El Macero." Â When I asked him how he said, "I put the thought in my head, and let only positivity take over from there, I created my own magic."

Mike Brockington, former UC Davis golfer (2010-15)