Coach Tony Wells, Athletes such as Ashley Owens, and the Colorado Flyers TC

Every year or two recently the state of Colorado has had a super female sprinter or hurdler emerge at the national level, with often the common denominator for those athletes some work with the Colorado Track Club and Coach Tony Wells along the way. The National All-Time sprint and hurdle lists are strewn with athletes who have worked with Coach Wells over the past few decades. With weather being what it often is in the high altitude Rocky Mountain climate of Colorado, the indoor marks sometimes as or more impressive than those achieved outdoors, but the results are quite amazing just the same. Many will match Tony’s abilities to prepare sprinters along those of any current coach in the world. Tony’s athletes represent the club during the winter indoor season and after the high school regular season, with his charges always representing their school during the regular high schools season, with the club-school situation always seemingly worked out to the satisfaction of both parties.

The Junior Nationals in College Station, Texas, where Ashley Owens, a senior at Liberty HS in Colorado Springs, took the 100m (11.12w) with a monster start that folks such as Allyson Felix (11.23w), Shalonda Solomon (11.36w), Jasmine Baldwin (11.37w), and Adidas Outdoor Championship winner Cleo Tyson (11.39w) could not chase down, was the latest of his charge’s stunning accomplishments. Owens wind-aided mark was only bettered by Angela Williams among high-schoolers under any conditions during their high school career, with famed Marion Jones’ wind-aided best an 11.12 as a prep also. Interestingly, during the last indoor season Owens raced 7.19 for 60 meters, a prep all-time best taking down former Colorado Flyers star Aleisha Latimer’s (Palmer, Colorado Springs) 7.22 national record.

Tony’s Hurdle stars also dot the all-time prep lists, with Yolanda Johnson (Washington, Denver, Colorado) still holding the prep 55m barrier record indoors at 7.66 from way back in 1986!

Tony is an employee of the Denver Recreation Department, and squeezes his coaching time in outside of that employment, with we are sure some cold winter indoor sessions during the Rocky Mountain winters in that area. He has coached athletes in other event areas to great successes, with Collinus Newsome (South, Denver, Co), a 52-01.75 Shot Put Indoor National Record Setter, and 5-10 High Jumper Chelsea Taylor (Montbello, Denver, Co) recent stars outside of the sprint/hurdles area.

Looking down the all-time prep sprint and hurdle lists the marks that his top athletes have achieved are quite stunning. (there are a wealth backing up the below listed on the all-time prep lists that Coach Wells has worked with).

60 Meters Indoors - “A” for mark achieved at Altitude
7.19 A Ashley Owens (Liberty Colorado Springs) (Nat’l Record)
7.22 A Aleisha Latimer (Palmer, Colorado Springs) #2 All-Time
7.29 Alexis Joyce (Washington, Denver) #4 All-Time

100 Meters Wind Legal
11.19 Aleisha Latimer (Palmer, Colorado Springs) 1997
11.20 A Ashley Owens (Liberty, Colorado Springs) 2004
11.35 A Caryl Smith (Washington, Denver) 1987
11.36 A Aspen Burkett (East, Denver) 1994
11.41 A Dominque’ Calloway (South, Denver) 1996

200 Meters
22.97 Aleisha Latimer 1997
23.26 A Ashley Owens (Liberty, Colorado Springs) 2004

100m Hurdles (33”)
13.21 Dominque’ Calloway (South, Denver) 1996
13.25 Yolanda Johnson (Washington, Denver) 1986

In an article written by Pete Cava for the National Scholastic Sports Foundation on Coach Wells, Tony was quoted, “Coaching is more about discipline and attention to little details,” he says. “First, you have to prepare yourself academically. You have to be a father-figure. And you have to push discipline day-to-day in your program. I believe those are the most important things.”

If you were wondering where folks like Ashley Owens received much of their preparation for their stunning results, well, 60 year old Coach Tony Wells has had a number in her class through the last couple of decades, with we hope more coming from the greater Denver Rocky Mountain area to continue to impress!!