Dr. David Shrock, ,FRGS
Biography
Dr. DaveShrock’s Profile
Dr.Dave Shrock came to Modesto Junior College in 1996 as the Cross Country andTrack & Field coach prior to accepting a full-time assignment as professorof Health and Physical Education in 2003. Under Shrock’s guidance, thePirate Cross Country and Track & Field programs amassed two Nor-Calchampionships and three runner-up titles. Shrock was named California CentralValley Coach of the Year ten times whilehis programs generated sixty-four All-Americans.
Shrockbegan his coaching career in 1976 at the College of San Mateo before coachingcross country and assisting with track & field at Stanford and San JoséState Universities. Shrock serves in a number of USA Track & Fieldleadership roles including serving as Chair of the Association’s Committee,which is USATF’s largest committee, in addition to being past-president of the PacificAssociation and Coaching Committee Chair. Shrock has previously served onthe USATF Coaches Education and Men’s Development Committees. Shrock alsoserved for twelve years as the assistant Meet Director for the Modesto Relaysbringing world class track & field to the central valley.
Shrockis a USATF Level 3 coach in addition to being a Master Official. As a coachingeducator, Shrock has educated over one thousand coaches throughout the countryand continues to direct track and field schools and clinics. Shrock was honoredby USA Track and Field by being selected to coach the men’s distance runners atthe World Indoor Championships held in Istanbul Turkey in March of 2012. InMarch of 2016 Shrock was again selected by his colleagues to coach the USA menat the PanAm Cross Country Champs. in Caracas, Venezuela.
In 2017 Shrock was recognized as the US SportsAcademy Alumni of the Year for his professional accomplishments, and in 2018was awarded the USA Track & Field President’s Award for his contributionsto the sport spanning four decades, and in December of 2021 Shrock waspresented the USATF Giegengack Award, which is the organization’s highest awardfor his over fifty years of service in coaching, athlete development,administration, and event directing.
Not newto overseas travel, Shrock served as an expedition leader for overland andadventure travel companies for fourteen years prior to coming Modesto JuniorCollege. Based out of his home in London, Shrock led expeditions, Africanwildlife safaris, Himalayan mountain treks, and drove three Asian Overlandtrips from London to Kathmandu, Nepal while living in Kathmandu for sevenseasons and Nairobi, Kenya for two. An active writer and tour developer,Shrock was awarded a Fellowship of the Britain’s Royal Geographic Society in1995 for his contributions in re-opening tourism routes into Tibet from Nepal.
Not letting go of the travel bug Dr. Shrock alsocontinues to present internationally on subjects relating to sport managementand coaching for the United States Sports Academy on a regular basis inthe Middle East and South-East Asia.
Dr. Dave Shrock came to ModestoJunior College in 1996 as the Cross Country and Track & Field coach priorto accepting a full-time assignment as a professor of Health and PhysicalEducation in 2003. Under Shrock’s guidance, the Pirate Cross Country andTrack & Field programs amassed two Nor-Cal championships and threerunner-up titles. Shrock was named California Central Valley Coach of the Yearten times while his programs generated sixty-four All-Americans.
Shrock began his coaching career in1976 at the College of San Mateo before coaching cross country and assistingwith track & field at Stanford and San José State Universities. Shrockserves in a number of USA Track & Field leadership roles including servingas Chair of the Association’s Committee, which is USATF’s largest committee, inaddition to being past president of the Pacific Association and CoachingCommittee Chair. Shrock has previously served on the USATF CoachesEducation and Men’s Development Committees. Shrock also served for twelveyears as the assistant Meet Director for the Modesto Relays bringing worldclass track & field to the Central Valley.
Shrock is a USATF Level 3 coach inaddition to being a Master Official. As a coaching educator, Shrock has educatedover one thousand coaches throughout the country and continues to direct trackand field schools and clinics. Shrock was honored by USA Track and Field bybeing selected to coach the men’s distance runners at the World IndoorChampionships held in Istanbul Turkey in March of 2012. In March of 2016 Shrockwas again selected by his colleagues to coach the USA men at the PanAm CrossCountry Champ. in Caracas, Venezuela.
In 2017 Shrock was recognized as the US SportsAcademy Alumni of the Year for his professional accomplishments, and in 2018was awarded the USA Track & Field President’s Award for his contributionsto the sport spanning four decades, and in December of 2021 Shrock waspresented the USATF Giegengack Award, which is the organization’s highest awardfor his over fifty years of service in coaching, athlete development,administration, and event directing. In January of 2024 Shrock was awarded the USATF-PacificAssoc Legacy Coaches Award for his lifetime of service promoting coaching andmentoring countless athletes to become coaches themselves.
Not new to overseas travel, Shrock served asan expedition leader for overland and adventure travel companies for fourteenyears prior to coming Modesto Junior College. Based out of his home in London,Shrock led expeditions, African wildlife safaris, Himalayan mountain treks, anddrove three Asian Overland trips from London to Kathmandu, Nepal while livingin Kathmandu for seven seasons and Nairobi, Kenya for two. An activewriter and tour developer, Shrock was awarded a Fellowship of the Britain’sRoyal Geographic Society in 1995 for his contributions in re-opening tourismroutes into Tibet from Nepal.
Not letting go of the travel bugDr. Shrock also continues to present internationally on subjects relating tosport management and coaching for the United States Sports Academy on aregular basis in the Middle East and South-East Asia.
Shrock earned a Bachelor’s degreein History and Master’s in Kinesiology from San José State before returning toEurope to work in the Adventure travel industry, and more recently stepped backfrom active coaching to earn a Doctor of Education degree in Sport Leadershipfrom the United States Sports Academy.
Dr. Shrock currently lives in Arroyo Grande and is marriedto fellow track coach Lisa, and revels in watching his daughter Payton, namedafter the famous Stanford and Olympic T&F Coach Payton Jordan grow.