I have begun dreaming of the High Jump again!

I dream of a heaven called SKY246....

The HJ apron is a mile wide and blue as the sky above,
and I jump 2.46!
and I jump 2.46
and I jump 2.46......

tony coates

Other Links: Track and Field News Masters Track.com Rankings World Masters Association World HJ Rankings Yahoo Groups - Masters Track and Field Yahoo Groups-High Jump

Anthony (Tony) Coates began his athletics career in 1974 as a 10-year-old long distance roadrunner. He later followed the natural progression to track and field at the age of 13 as a Heidelberg (Germany) High School freshman, although at 14 running a 4.05 1st Marathon in Heidelberg.

Never far from his long distance beginnings, earned his 1st High School Varsity letter as a member of the 1979 Mount Clemens (Michigan) cross-country team. Coates continued running cross country and distance races [1mile & 2mile] well into his early collegiate career.

During the track season at Mt Clemens Coates cleared 5'0" in his 1st high jump competition, eventually improving to 5'3" by the end of the season.

Coates would further improve his high jump peformance to 5'10" at Joppatown High School (Maryland) - though a typical track meet would include the 1 mile, 2 mile, long jump and triple jump.

The High Jump continued to be a side diversion until the winter of 1981. while attending his 4th High School in 4 years @ Bel Air (Maryland) Sr. High School he cleared 6'0" for the 1st time indoors. During his senior season @ Bel Air [1981-1982], he further raised his personal best to a new school record of 6'3" indoors and 6'4" outdoors", and placed 3rd in the Maryland State High School Championships High Jump.

An almost fanatic obsession with conquering the 7' barrier [and the improbable desire to make it to the Olympic Trials] took over after adding 5 1/2 inches to his personal best, jumping 6'9 1/2" as an 18-year-old freshman while at Harford Community College.

Coates went on to earn an athletic scholarship to Murray State University [KY], establishing himself as a consistent, competitive small college high jumper, placing 2nd in the Ohio Valley Conference Championships both indoors and outdoor during the 1985-1986 season.

While at Murray State - Coates equaled the 5th Best High Jump in school history - clearing 6'10" indoors and out, with an out of competition clearance of 7'0" in 1987

Coates graduated from Murray State University in 1990 while on active duty in the United States Air Force.

Following graduation Coates spent 9 months during Operations Desert Shield/Storm, in Bahrain from Aug 1990 thru April of 1991.

Tony Coates now lives in Woodstock, Georgia with his wife of 19 years - Conte' DeShields, and is Vice President of Engineering and Network Operations with a privately held broadband services company.

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MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS & PERSONAL RECORDS:

(Outdoor): HJ - 6' 10"/2.085m - 7/6/1985

(Indoor): HJ - 6' 10"/2.085m  -12/6/1985

Non Competition Mark - Career Personal Best

6'10 1/4"/2.09m - 10/17/1985,

Non Competition Practice clearance of 7'0" - 1987

7'0"+ = 23 total attempts/8 competitions - Feb 1983 to Jan 1988

OTHER EVENT PR's:

100m   11.29, relay split 10.99

400m   50.1

 1 mile  4:55

 2 mile  10:48

 3.1 m CC  17.24

 5mi CC  29.31

Triple Jump  44'5 3/4"

Long Jump   21'6 1/4" 

PERSONAL STATS:

Birthdate - July 23, 1964

5'8 3/4"/1.75m

160lbs/75kg

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HIGH SCHOOLS ATTENDED:

78-79 Heidelberg Sr. HS (Heidelberg, Germany)

79-80 Mount Clemens HS (Mount Clemens, MICH)

80-81 Joppatowne Sr. HS (Joppatowne, MD)

81-82 Bel Air Senior HS (Bel Air, Md)

COLLEGES:

82-84 Harford Community College

84-86 Murray State University, graduated '90

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MAJOR COMPETITIONS:

'83 JUCO Region XX 3rd 6' 4"o

'84 JUCO Region XX 3rd 6' 6" i

'84 JUCO Region XX tied 2nd 6' 9 1/2" [Region XX 2nd Team All American] o

'85 Baltimore Municipal Games 1st 6' 7 1/4" o

'85 Maryland State Games 3rd 6' 8" o

'86 Ohio Valley Conference 2nd 6' 9" i

'86 Ohio Valley Conference tied 2nd 6' 8" o

'87 Maryland State Games 2nd 6' 5" o

'88 Maryland State Games 4th 6' 6" o

'91 Air Force Championships 2nd 6' 2" o

'91 Armed Forces Championships 5th 6' 2 1/4" o
i - indoor
o - outdoor

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Whats New?

2006 - I have not competed again since the ill fated 2004 National Championships - I am still putting in the miles on the road, and I have forgone the weight lifting that I maintained for almost 30 years. I expect 2007 to be an exciting year, and hope to make yet another comeback. Stay tuned.

2004 update! - had a couple of decent competitions this year, after moving to St Louis towards the end of 2003 - in May I competed in the Kansas City Memorial Classic I jumped 5'4" and then in June at the MidAmerica USATF Masters Championships I won my age group with a 5'4" jump again.....knee is really wacked out and so I rehabed it for about 4 weeks prior to Nationals in Decatur but to no avail, I bombed out at Nationals this year and did not clear my opening height....I was very disappointed, but am training now for indoors.

Day 2 Results
2003 Masters National Championships

Me at the 2006 St Louis St Patricks Day 5 miler