A state qualifier in 1948 and a state champion in 1949 for Hirsch High School in Chicago, Jack Stoudt was a three-time Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference place-winner and a two-time champion for Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and also a Central AAU champion.

After serving in the United States Army and earning his master's degree from SIU, he began teaching in the Granite City school system and officiating in the area. He moved to Peking in 1957 to work as an assistant for Hall of Famer Jim Custer and took over as head coach in 1967. During his career he developed 20 state place-winners, including two state champions, while leading his teams to 14 conference titles, 14 district titles and four sectional titles.

An active member of the Illinois Wrestling Federation since its inception in 1968, Stoudt served as a district representative for 15 years, as a team leader to Iowa City twice, and as a national coach for 15 years. He developed three finalists in freestyle and one in Greco-Roman.

His wife was the first woman in Illinois to manage a district and sectional tournament.