When St. Clair got involved in an activity, it became more fun because of his high spirits. He even made Dos Pueblos High’s football players eager to practice. “He was always a jolly man, always positive, ” said Jeff Uyesaka, who was coached by St. Clair. “He helped us have a good time while he taught us how to play the game. With the coaches we had, you looked forward to going out there.”
St. Clair was a business man who donated his time to local sports. He started coaching in the Youth Football League. Before he got involved, he made sure that the emphasis was on the kids’ having fun.
When local schools experienced a shortage of coaches, St. Clair helped out at Dos Pueblos. He coached the Chargers freshman football team and later became a varsity assistant. St. Clair made his mark in Santa Barbara as a football player in the late ’50s. He was a record-setting quarterback at UCSB. He then worked as a bowling alley manager and rolled several 300 games.
One of his last gigs was as a volunteer bowling instructor for the blind. He shared the joy with his students at the sound of all the pins falling down. Jim also faced the cancer that took his life earlier this year with high spirits. He got out of his bed at the Serenity House hospice center and made an appearance at a football practice as the DP Chargers prepared for a CIF playoff game. They gave him an autographed game ball. And with much appreciation, the Round Table gives Jim St. Clair its highest honor tonight.
Hop Studios
You must be logged in to post a comment.