Don’t let Tommy Negrete’s smile and easygoing ways fool you. Down deep he is as competitive as the fiercest athlete you’ve ever met. The Moriarty High pole vault coach not only knows how to mold kids into winners but is a winner himself. But not at the same sport — at age 65 he still can throw a softball farther than anyone in the New Mexico Senior Olympics. “I haven’t been beat by anyone over 50,” Negrete said. “I used to throw a baseball 350 feet and still throw 220-240 feet.” He even dares kids at the school to throw against him for distance with a Blake’s Lotaburger on the line. “I haven’t lost one yet,” Negrete said. But bragging about his own achievements doesn’t bring a gleam to his eye like talking about his young prospects in pole vaulting. Living in Tajique, Negrete first started coaching pole vaulting at Estancia High School. He had a state champion pole vaulter in Brittany Falconer while there. But when things didn’t work out in Estancia, Negrete decided to take the longer drive to Moriarty to coach the vaulters. He has gradually gotten more and more kids to try the sport over the last three years despite the fear of heights which makes many hesitant. more
