Inductees

Described by friends as the “Godfather of the Redwood Empire Wrestling Community,” Jake attended and graduated from West Valley Community College in Saratoga and then from CSU-Sonoma where he was a co-captain of the wrestling team. Fitzpatrick started coaching as an assistant at Santa Rosa Middle School in 1973, followed by a year at Santa Rosa High School. He became the Head Coach at Piner High School in Santa Rosa in 1978, leading their wrestling program through 1985, with undefeated John Noland winning a State Championship there in 1980. Jake followed as Head Coach at Santa Rosa High School from 1988-92 and again in 1997. He has also coached soccer and track teams.

At the same time, Fitzpatrick has been the Head Wrestling Coach at Santa Rosa Junior College since 1984, the longest term of any coach there with 33 years and still ongoing. He has coached seven league championship teams on both the high school and the college levels, compiling a dual match record of 223-172-5 at SRJC so far while being honored as Conference Coach of the Year five times. He is proud to have coached 30 All-Americans, including State Champions Brian Bowles, Kyle Griffin and Andres Torres. He has also coached 75 CACC State medalists and numerous Academic All-Americans. During this tenure, Jake has provided a long-standing summer wrestling camp and scholarship opportunities for seventh through twelfth graders to attend.

He has provided clinics free of charge, along with some of his SRJC team members, for local high schools during their seasons. He has also organized and directed various local high school, college, and freestyle or Greco-Roman tournaments. While coaching and officiating himself since 1974 and currently, Fitzpatrick has helped to mentor many young wrestlers to become coaches and officials themselves in the area. He has officiated at 15 CIF North Coast Section Tournaments, over 30 League Championships, and in the CIF State Championships.

He has also hosted five California Community College State Wrestling Championship Tournaments. Jake served as a commissioner for the Redwood empire Wrestling Officials and Coaches Association from 1990-99, and in 2006 he was the recipient of the Robert Bubb Excellence in Coaching Award. He still serves as President of the California-USA Wrestling Coastal Mountain Association.