CM’s Weight Room to Be Named After Jack Dahlstrom
The new weight room at Catholic Memorial will be called "The Jack" after Jack Dahlstrom, who was one of the best athletes to ever atttend CM.
As you look at Catholic Memorial School’s Athletic Hall of Fame plaque, your eyes are drawn to the top left-hand corner.
Perry. O’Connor. Dahlstrom.
Mr. Ronald Perry, Sr. and Mr. Jim O’Connor, CM’s first two athletic directors, laid the foundation for CM’s athletic program. Then, there’s Jack.
Jack Dahlstrom is one of the best athletes to ever compete on Baker Street. He was among the first inductees when CM unveiled its Hall of Fame in 1996. Jack competed in four sports: football, basketball, baseball, and track. In an age when a three-sport athlete is uncommon, CM may never see another four-sport athlete. For that, Jack is special. But that is not the only reason.
“No one gave more credibility to the phrase, ‘joie de vivre.’ He lived his life to the fullest every day. He lived it with a passion that was unparalleled as an athlete, coach, husband, and friend,” said Mr. Thomas Beatty ’68, CM’s Principal.
Jack’s energy and enthusiasm is evident in his senior portrait. His ebullient smile leaps from the page. After graduating from CM, Jack continued his career as a student-athlete at the College of the Holy Cross.
Jack’s CM athletic legacy did not end with his graduation in 1963. Soon after graduating from Holy Cross, Jack joined CM’s coaching staff for track and field and football. He worked alongside Mr. Thomas Meagher, CM faculty member and former track and field head coach, and Mr. O’Connor. As a coach, Jack was calm, never rattled, and exuded a quiet confidence. In track and field, the field events were Jack’s domain. He coached the field events for more than two decades continuing his coaching duties with Mr. Vincent Catano, CM faculty member and current head track and field coach.
Throughout his life, Jack appeared to be the stellar athlete he once was; his youthful face and fitness belying his age. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, his life took an unimaginable turn. In 2016, Jack was diagnosed with cancer, and passed away later that year. Soon after his death, Jack’s colleagues, teammates, and former athletes mobilized a committee to create a lasting tribute to Jack. As a CM Knight to his core, it was an easy decision to memorialize Jack on Baker Street. Last spring, CM announced that its new weight room will be named after Jack.
Coach Dahlstrom will not only be remembered as a great tactician, but also as a great mentor. His balanced approach yielded championship caliber results. So many that Jack’s coaching legacy rivals his own athletic one. He coached CM’s current record holders in the javelin, discus, and shot put, and was an assistant coach of three Super Bowl champion football teams.
“Jack had the unique ability to be very technical and specific about each of the field events, each of which requires a different set of skills and strengths. At the same time, he was able to transfer all the technical aspects of the events while giving the athletes a feeling that, when they stepped into the circle, they were prepared to win the event,” said Mr. Catano.
To continue Jack’s legacy, a committee of 45 CM alumni, parents, and friends are dedicated to making this fundraising campaign a success. The story of Jack’s impact on the men of CM will not be filed away in history. Generations of CM students will know the name, Jack Dahlstrom, and understand his legacy as an athlete, coach, and mentor. Fitting with Jack’s calm demeanor and humility, this state-of-the-art facility, will simply be known as “The Jack.”
If you are interested in supporting “The Jack,” please contact Jack Moynihan, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at JackMoynihan@CatholicMemorial.org or 617-469-8017.
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CM prepares students for the rigors of college and beyond. While here, boys embark on service-learning opportunities, leadership development, and character formation programs inspiring them to become confident, courageous young men motivated to do good in the world.
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Catholic Memorial
Catholic Memorial
235 Baker StreetWest Roxbury, MA 02132P. (617) 469-8000F. (617) 977-5689
About Us
Catholic Memorial, the Christian Brothers School of Boston, prepares boys for college, manhood and a world full of unknown challenges, ambiguity and complex problems and the importance of relationships.
