John Houska - Inducted 2021

John Houska graduated from Chamberlain High School in 1961 and Black Hills State College in 1965.  He was a multi-sport high school star athlete who became a Hall of Fame athlete at Black Hills State College.

Houska coached for 50 years in football, cross country, track & field, and wrestling.  Schools that he coached at were Tama-Toledo, IA (1965-66), Gregory (1966-69), Huron (1969-76), and Rapid City Central (1976-2015).  Houska led Rapid City Central to 10 state track titles (5 boys/5 girls) and eight state titles in cross country (6 boys/2 girls) as a head coach.

Houska was very active in the South Dakota High School Coaches Association and the South Dakota Cross Country and Track & Field Coaches Association.  He retired from teaching in 2002 and became Central’s hurdles coach through 2015.  Houska produced 150 State AA hurdle place-winners including 23 state champions at Central.

Houska was a South Dakota wrestling official for 35 years and officiated 30 state tournaments. He was State Boys’ Cross Country Coach of the Year twice (1985, 1990), State Girl’s Track & Field Coach of the Year (1992), and State Boys’ Track & Field Coach of the Year (1997).  He is a member of six halls of fame including Rapid City High School, Black Hills State College Athletics, Chamberlain High School Athletics, South Dakota High School Coaches Association, South Dakota Cross Country and Track & Field Coaches Association, High School Wrestling Coaches Association, Howard Wood Dakota Relays, and the National Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Houska and his wife, Mary, have two children: Shane and his wife Courtney and daughter Mitzi and her husband Steve.  He has three grandchildren, Madigan, Malley, and Landon.