Tate's state title earns him All Area Athlete of the Year

It seems only right that a soft-spoken individual with little to say about his own athletic talent could explode off the rubber of a triple jump runway enough to drop your jaw.

Jalen Tate fits both descriptions well and the West Creek High senior showed that he is both a man of few words but a man who's talent speaks loud and clear.

After capturing the Class AAA triple jump state championship last month and his dominating performance all season for the Coyotes, Tate has been named The Leaf-Chronicle All Area Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

The award is voted on by the newspaper's sports staff while the All Area girls and boys Track Teams were selected by the area's athletic directors.

"I don't know that I think too much about my jumps," Tate said just after capturing his triple jump state title last month. "I just try to focus and do my best."

That's all anyone can ask. It's all that West Creek coach Josh Stoeckl has expected. And usually, Tate's best is good enough for first place.

"He's about as talented an athlete as I've ever seen at West Creek," Stoeckl said.

Tate set school records in the long and triple jumps and won the sectional meet in both events. He finished second in the long jump and captured the state title in the triple by out-distancing his next closest competitor by two feet and 10 inches.

Tate's smooth style makes his triple jumps seem effortless.

"You have to listen real close because his feet tell you everything you need to know about how good he is in the triple," Stoeckl said. "Everyone else who does the triple, you can hear when their feet hit the runway. There's a audible stomp. With Jalen, you don't hear anything. He lands on the runway soft which means he rotates his ankles well and that takes pressure of his knees and then he explodes."

That gliding motion in the air seems to go on forever. And it's impressive considering this is the first full year Tate has competed in track.

He suffered knee and hip injuries the previous two years. Both required surgery and left his senior year in doubt. But Tate was convinced to compete and dominated.

"For me, it's simple," he said. "I just go out and compete to win. If I'm not trying to win, there's no reason to be out here."

Reach Prep writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports. 

ALL AREA MALE TRACK AND FIELD COACH OF THE YEAR

Josh Stoeckl, West Creek: Stoeckl has been leading the Coyotes for the past six years and the Coyotes have dominated Class AAA boys track in Montgomery County during much of his tenure. The Coyotes finished seventh overall, as a team, at state this past spring and took first in the sub-sectional meet and second in the sectional meet.