Visit Our Sponsors

State Track: Jamestown HS Throws Coach Bill Kelley Knows How To Motivate

Jamestown HS Throwing Coach Bill Kelley / Submitted Photo


By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Bill Kelley – the boys and girls throwing coach for Jamestown High School’s track and field team – has been a fixture at track and field meets in North Dakota for many years.

This weekend he’ll be patrolling the throwing events at the North Dakota High School Activities Association’s Boys and Girls Track and Field State Meet at the Community Bowl in Bismarck keeping tabs on the Blue Jays.

Kelley’s expertise is in the javelin – an event that has been a particular area of strength for Jamestown’s boys squad this spring. The Blue Jays have two seniors – Travis Beach and Ben Hanson – who enter this weekend with two of state’s Top 5 seeded throws in the event. Beach’s throw of 178 feet, eight inches is the school record and is the third best throw in the state this season. Hanson’s top throw this spring is 173-3.

For Kelley, seeing his athlete’s push past what they thought were their limits is the pinnacle of his profession.

“The kids are the best part about the job,” said Kelley, who also has a background in long distance running and has run in the Boston Marathon. “They are dedicated to doing their best, they work very hard and they keep building on their own personal records. Seeing student athletes setting personal-best throws are the type of things that keep me fired up and keep me going as a coach.”

In total Kelley, a retired teacher, has been coaching track and field for 53 years and Jamestown head boys track and field coach Ken Gardner said what continues to impress him is Kelley’s ability to motivate athletes.

“Coach Kelley always has the ‘Jamestown High School Top 10 Throws List’ for the boys and girls throwing events in his pocket at meets,” Gardner said. “I think all of our kids want to work at getting on that list and he does a great job of encouraging them.”

Beach and Hanson can be found on the Top 10 List in the javelin and both have great chances to place and score points for the Blue Jays this weekend.

The Class A boys javelin is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday.

His coaching style works and Beach is just one example of how Kelley’s techniques produce results.

“Every day he asks me if I’m going to PR,” Beach said. “It’s not meant to add any pressure, but it motivates me. He expects a lot and you always want to come through for him. He’s always there to motivate.”

Kelley is always looking for throwers and in the case of Hanson, who started his prep career as a sprinter and hurdler, sometimes trying a new event can lead to personal success.

“I wasn’t really a serious javelin thrower until this year,” Hanson said. “Coach Kelley’s best pointer to me was exploding at the end of my throws, which has helped out a lot. He makes track and field fun.”

Begin typing to search...