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Southern California Roadrunner Founder Passes On

 
Coach Japs and a So Cal Roadrunners Camp Gathering

photo by Ruth Wysocki
1968 AAU Champs - Roadrunners with National Champ
Ruth Wysocki - Ruth top center was SCRR team member next year

More Pictures of Coach Japs, his life and the Roadrunners

Over 400 mourners attended Dave's funeral on Friday including many Roadrunners from the 60's and 70's. Serving as pallbeares were Frank Assumma, Daniel Cuevas, Juan Bengoa, David Jackson Sr., Rich Robles, Jared Bain, Paul Hansen , Buddy Rogers. There were over 400 individuals at his memorial on Sat. with Augie Augebright (Cindegals/San Jose State), Chris Rinne (UC Riverside coach 68-03), Ruth Wysocki, Jared Bain Speaking. The family was presented certificates from the Board of Supervisors of San Bernardino, Congressman Joe Bacas office and the State Assembly for Dave's service to the community. I was reviewing Dave's paperwork yesterday filed away in a box. He was the Womens National cross country coach that traveled to Morrocco the placed first in the Womens world championships. On that team included Julie Brown (she was 1st), Doris Brown (17), Kate Keyes (11), Peggty Nepple (15), The team scored 44 points for 1st and was followed by New Zealand (50). Also competing were Linda Heinmiller. In all the years I have coached with Dave since 1980 He never mentioned this to me. That was the type of man he was.
just passing on some history
Mike Leong

Hermosa Cemetary, 900 Meridian Street, Colton, Ca 92324-1656
Directions:  Going east on 10 freeway exit Pepper go back north across freeway turn right, go east to Meridian Street- left on Meridian  to 900 Meridian street - Hermosa Gardens  on your right.

From Dr. Mike Leong:

Mr. Japs will have a graveside service on Friday Jan. 19th at 1PM at Hermosa Gardens cemetary behind the Arrowhead Regional medical center off Meridian . This is located between the border of the City of Colton and Rialto.
Mike Leong

David Japs memorial will be Sat. Jan. 20 at Rialto HS corner of Pepper Ave and Mill at 3pm at the Rialto amphitheater . There will several speeches about his life and influence on young people and former coaches and a Video presentation. A potlock will follow. Everyone is welcome to attend. Any former Roadrunners are welcome to speak on behalf of Coach Japs. Mike Leong

Coach Dave Japs , renowned Rialto High School cross country and track coach died in his home this evening as he was preparing to attend the Roadrunners End of Season banquet.

Coach Japs founded the Rialto Roadrunners in 1961 as one of the first running club for girls .They became the Southern California Roadrunners in 1979, the premier youth distance club in America by winning over 50 youth national titles including this year. Coach Japs was selected as national Junior CC coach and National Race Walking coach in the 70¢s. Coach Japs coached such notable athletes as Olympian Ruth Wysocki, Frankie (3:53 mile) and Chuck Assuma also Sue Brodock: National and World Record holder in race walking. He always had powerful distance teams at Rialto High school , and was always a fixture sitting in his chair at distance meets.

Dave changed thousands of lives by introducing the sport of distance running to the youth of the Inland Empire .Hundreds of his runners went on to run in college because of his hard work and support. Coach Dr Mike Leong broke the sad news to over 300 runners and parents at tonight's banquet.

Editor's Note: (could not leave out Will Stephens per Jerry Colman's suggestion--now calling it a trio)  If there was a trio to be named the "fathers of Caifornia female prep distance running," it would be Dave Japs, Will Stephens of the greater Sacramento area, and current San Jose State Coach Augie Argabright. The excellence that their clubs, the So Cal Roadrunners, Wills Spikettes, and the San Jose Cindergals, carried up from the age-group to the prep ranks when official CIF competition for Girls was started in the 1970's kind of set the tone that has been followed ever since. If you competed at the championship level ever since the beginning of CIF statewide competition it was often their athletes out front inviting the competition to compete in their wake at a level that would be at the absolute elite level nationally. Names such as Su-Mei Lee, Kathy Weston (Nevada prep for Wills Spikettes), Ann Regan, Cheri Wiliams, and others were but of a few developed by these groups who helped set the tone for Golden State running ever since. The male Roadrunner group was part of a magical era of Inland Empire distance running in Southern California also with the Assuma twins and others who came forth from that club.
Doug Speck
DyeStatCal.com

 
pictures by Karen Villafuerte

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