Nov. 26, 2002
After 20 years of service to Saint Mary's, head athletic trainer Chris "Jake" Jacobson will retire from his second home in the training room in Madigan Gymnasium on December 15. An institution at the Moraga campus for 20 years, he will leave behind a passion for taking care of student-athletes and a love for Saint Mary's College.
"We're going to miss Jake tremendously," commented Michael Wayman, head men's tennis coach. "Jake has always been supportive of our programs and always put the best interests of the student-athletes first."
The person who taped his first ankle as a freshman in high school in 1969 will hang up his sports medicine kit after the men's basketball game at Stanford on December 14. During his 33 years of caring for the injuries of athletes, Jacobson has been fortunate enough to travel to 20 countries and 42 states - something he feels blessed to have done. In 20 years at Saint Mary's, Jake has worked with over 1,100 student-athletes.
Jacobson first came to the Moraga campus in the fall of 1983 as the assistant athletic trainer after a three-year stint traveling the world with the United States Ski Team, working on Olympic medallists Billy Johnson, Phil Mahre and Steve Mahre. The environment was much different then, there were a similar number of varsity sports, but the teams competed at the NAIA level and more athletes played multiple sports. He originally looked at the job as an opportunity to work on a college campus in an effort to eventually move to a college or university in the Rocky Mountains, closer to where he grew up in Wyoming.
"I quickly learned that Saint Mary's was a very neat place and it grew on me," commented Jacobson. "The College was smaller then (1,200 students) and there was a lot of interaction with the students. I built relationships with some special people who cared a great deal for the students, like Father Moss and Brother Jerome West. They allowed me to get involved in the community."
When Jake first joined the Saint Mary's staff, there were two trainers and not quite 300 student-athletes. His primary responsibility was working with the women's teams and he speaks fondly of the NAIA national championships he was a part of with the women's soccer team (1984 and 1986) and women's volleyball team (1985).
"I really enjoyed being involved with women's sports," said Jacobson. "Since most of the teams on the football schedule were local, I had more opportunities to travel with other teams. The only pictures I've kept of any teams are of the three national championship teams."
Looking back, he speaks of the 1988-89 school year with tremendous pride. He played an important role in the 1988 football season when the team came from behind to beat archrival Santa Clara to finish the season 10-0. Following that game, the football players issued a challenge to the men's basketball players, to top their achievement. The men's basketball team accepted the challenge, winning 16 of the first 17 games en route to a 25-5 record, conference championship, and a NCAA Tournament appearance.
"I'm still friends with a lot of those guys and we've shared some ups and downs together. I think this type of family environment is unique to Saint Mary's."
Despite the on-the-field accomplishments of the teams over the years, anyone who's spent a moment with Jake knows that it's the interaction with the students that has kept him young for so long.
"The biggest key for me has been the time spent with the students. Day in and day out you get to know them on a different level and sometimes establish great friendships. Some of the student trainers that have put in the kind of hours they have might as well be my own children. They spent time with me that was unbelievable."
Many outside of athletics probably don't grasp the amount of time trainers spend with student-athletes. They not only care for their physical injuries, they provide guidance, a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board for ideas, and a friend to converse with.
"The ability to be involved in young people's lives has kept me young. I listen to their music, I'm a resident director in their dorm, I understand their problems, and learn their likes and dislikes. I'm an incoming freshman every year and a graduating senior every year. I come on board with every freshman class and I grow through their lives and graduate with those seniors as they move to their next chapter."
Immediately after he locks up the training room for the last time, Jacobson will start his new endeavor as a product representative for Mueller Sports Medicine. In his new role, he will travel California and Nevada to visit high schools, junior colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and professional teams on behalf of Mueller. It's a great next step for Jacobson, who has established friendships with hundreds of trainers across the land during his time in this profession.
Steve Jacoby, Assistant Athletic Director for Operations, came to Saint Mary's as a student-athlete on the football team in the fall of 1982 and has been close friends with "Jake" since meeting him a year later. "Jake has been a father figure, a big brother, and a friend to over a thousand student-athletes and me," commented Jacoby. "The thing I'll miss the most about Jake is his friendship. We've socialized a-lot and I'll miss seeing a very good friend at work on a daily basis."
When asked what he'd miss the most, Jacobson offered an extensive list, fitting of the amount of passion he has for his job and the College. He mentioned the last second buzzer beater baskets, the Santa Clara rivalry, and great people like Brother Jerome West, Brother Ron Gallagher, Sister Clare, and Pattie McDermott.
The outdoorsman in Jake offered another reflection that few on campus could compare: "Standing on the football practice field watching some of the sunsets is an amazing time to be on this planet and a really special time to be on this campus."
The Department of Athletics and Recreational Sports will host a going away party for Jake on Wednesday, December 11 in the Soda Center from 2-4:00 pm. There will also be an off-campus celebration for Jake on Sunday, December 8 at Black Diamond Brewery in Walnut Creek from noon-4:00 pm for colleagues and former student-athletes. All are welcome to both celebrations.
