JOHNSTOWN — From Greater Johnstown High School to the University of Arizona, to the Air Force Academy, to the University of Idaho, Jerry Davitch utilized the work ethic and values instilled by his immigrant parents to make the most of his opportunities.

He was a key part of Johnstown’s championship football team and a standout wrestler for the Trojans. He continued playing both sports at Division I Arizona.

After college, Davitch was an assistant coach with Air Force and the head man at Idaho. Eventually he returned home to bring the Johnstown High football program back to prominence in the 1980s and later revived the Conemaugh Township squad.

It’s no wonder that Davitch wanted to share his induction into the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame with so many others.

“You end up receiving an honor such as this because you have had so many people help you along the way,” Davitch said. “I have probably had more help than most to get to this point because I always considered myself an overachiever.”

Davitch got his start at Johnstown High playing for head coach Dave Hart, who also is in the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame, and assistant coach Blackie Mihalic.

The 1958 Trojans won the WPIAL championship, beating Clairton 3-0 at Pitt Stadium. Davitch was a starting offensive guard on that title team.

“When I came through Johnstown High School I had probably some of the best coaching that any high school kid in the country could have at that time,” Davitch said. “Not only was the coaching good, but also the commitment of those guys to try to make you see the bigger picture.”

At Arizona, he started two seasons and lettered three times at offensive guard.

Davitch also lettered four years in wrestling with the Division I Wildcats and competed in every match and tournament for the university. He captained the wrestling team as a senior.

“When you get into college there are no guarantees there,” Davitch said. “My recruiter had 22 of us from Western Pennsylvania at the University of Arizona. He took it personal that each of us would graduate.”

Upon graduation, Davitch landed a coaching job at a major Tucson high school. That led to an opportunity at the Air Force Academy that Davitch compared to “hitting the lottery.”

He was an assistant at Air Force from 1973 to 1977.

Davitch took the Idaho head job in 1978 and spent four seasons in the Big Sky Conference. His 1980 team went 6-5.

He eventually returned to Arizona as a radio and TV color commentator for football and basketball games before finding his way back to his hometown of Johnstown in 1985 to coach the Trojans.

“I ended up working with Ray Scott. Ray and I were doing University of Arizona football and basketball together on the radio,” Davitch said of the well-known broadcaster and Cambria County Sports Hall of Famer. “I asked him where he was from and when he said Johnstown, Pennsylvania, I almost fell out of my chair.”

An educator and administrator, Davitch impacted many young lives at Johnstown High, Conemaugh Township and Richland. He also works internationally with student-athletes and underprivileged youths during “tours” of Russia on a regular basis. Those teams won both junior and senior European titles.

“It’s great to be dealing with kids at the high school age,” Davitch said. “Being an important part of a young man’s life is very rewarding.”

Entering the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame will be a milestone for Davitch, his family and extended family of former teammates, coaches and players.

“It’s a great honor especially when you think of the folks who I know personally who are in the Hall,” Davitch said. “Then there are those that I know by name.

“It’s a great honor that I will be associated with guys that I had direct involvement with such as George Azar and Ed Adamchik. Then out of high school I was recruited by Frank Kush at Arizona State even though I ended up going to Arizona. We’ve been friends ever since I left high school. Ray Scott, I worked with. There are so many great names in the hall.”

Davitch and his wife, Terry, have two sons, U.S. Air Force Capt. Jim and his wife, Mindy, who is a captain in the Air Force; and U.S. Air Force Reserve Capt. Jerry, whose wife Lisa also is a captain. There are two grandchildren, Sara and Joey. Davitch’s brother Jim resides in Johnstown.