JOHN CHAKMAKAS
Class of 2008
JOHN CHAKMAKAS

Guilderland Flying Dutchmen

 

When John Chakmakas began wrestling for Coach Herm Wyld in 1966, a 100 win high school career mark was unheard of but when John wrestled his last match for Guilderland in 1970, which included four Section 2 finals and two trips to States, John finished with an unbelievable 104-8 record. He was the first wrestler in Section 2 history to break the 100 win mark.

You had to be a freshman to wrestle varsity at that time but on his 8th grade team he showed what was to come with a record of 10-0 and 10 pins. Starting the next year out as a determined freshman, John was named the Dutchmens most valuable wrestler as he went 20-1 and won two tournaments. His only loss was in the finals of the Section 2 tournament in an overtime loss to the eventual 4th place state wrestler.

As a sophomore John continued his excellence as he went 25-2, won 4 tournaments but again lost in the finals of the Section 2 tournament. Finally as a junior and moving up a few weight classes John won the first Section II Championship in Guilderland history for Coach Wyld. John made the first trip to the states for the Flying Dutchmen but eventually lost in a decision to the 4th place finisher.

Chakmakass senior year was his best ever. He finished the year with a 29-1 record, won 3 tournaments and was outstanding wrestler in two of them. He won the Section 2 tournament and again went to the states in a very tough weight class. John entered the state tourney with a seriously injured arm and ranked behind 3 other top wrestlers in the tournament. John knocked off two of the top wrestlers on his way to the state finals where he was decisioned by Section III Hall of Famer Bob Medina in the finals.

John was named to the All American honorable mention team by USA wrestling. He had several colleges interested in him and accepted a scholarship to Syracuse University. After one year John decided to transfer to Wilkes College where his wrestling career would take off again.

Wrestling now for National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach John Reese, Chakmakas would become a 2 time NCAA Division III All-American and was the 1974 NCAA Division III Champion at 134 Lbs. for Wilkes. In 1974 he was part of the Wilkes College team that won the NCAA Division III team title. John recorded a fourth place finish in the NCAA championship in 1975 when he was 13-1-1 in dual meets and 28-5-1 overall. John finished his dual meet career record at 35-4-4. He was also a two time MAC Champion. He also was a two year member of the Wilkes soccer team.

Besides being inducted into the Section 2 Wrestling Hall of Fame, John was also inducted into the Wilkes College Athletic Hall of Fame. He was named to the Wilkes College Silver Anniversary Wrestling Team and the MAC All-Century Wrestling team. He currently is ranked 15th all-time in Wilkes wrestling winning percentage. John worked for a while as an assistant wrestling coach for Albany State under Coach Joe DeMeo.

John received his bachelors degree and masters degree at Wilkes in mathematics and went to Florida State to get an additional masters degree in statistics in 1977. John has worked as a Senior Statistician and Senior Quality Engineer for several large companies in the capital district area. He currently is a Senior Quality Engineer at Honeywell Aerospace.