NEWCOMERSTOWN − Tristen Durr, a 2014 Newcomerstown High School graduate, was recently named as the head coach of track and field for both men and women at Wilmington College. He also will serve as assistant men and women’s cross-country coach.
During his high school days he participated in football, wrestling and track and field. Tristen’s memories of N.H.S. include spending time with a lot of great people, and these years molded him into the man he is today. “I was able to play on some great football teams with some awesome guys, as we even won the orange and black trophy my senior year which happens when we beat our neighboring rival football team.”
“Another highlight,” he continued, “was having the opportunity to wrestle for a wonderful man, the late Jericoe Jones. I then began throwing the discus my sophomore year and fell in love with this sport. In addition, my sophomore year was when I knew I wanted athletics to remain an important part of my life and planned to further my education with an emphasis on coaching, although I always thought it would be football. The older I got, the more I realized track is my true sport and the one I was going to pursue,” Tristen said.
Coach Nathan Smith was another important mentor for Tristen at N.H.S.
“We were pretty close in my time there. He actually was another reason I ended up doing track, as we were both new to the sport and we learned together,” Tristen added. “Coach Smith and I have stayed in touch a good bit since I graduated, and he has even been able to watch me compete in college when I won the OAC Championship in the hammer in 2017. He always believed in me and always made sure to remind me he was proud of me.”
As the head track coach for track and field, Tristen’s responsibilities include management of Wilmington’s student athletes plus ensuring the track team is taken care of while making sure the athletes are heard and understood. He will also perform administrative duties behind the scenes that will aid in ensuring a smooth season.
“The team finished top 10 in the country this spring, so the main goal is to improve upon that finish this coming year and the other major goal is expanding the team as much as possible now that we have a bigger coaching staff.”When Tristen arrived at Wilmington four years ago, he was fresh out of college and just starting into a coaching career when COVID hit. “In turn, everything has seemed to go so rapidly since then. I just tried to do my job to the best of my abilities and be a good representative of the school and program. Because of this, the administration believed in me enough to promote me to my new position. I’m very proud to be the head track coach here at Wilmington College and being the assistant for cross country is rewarding too,” Tristen said.
I look forward to having the opportunity to spend more time with our distance athletes in the fall and in building my relationship with them. I will too always cherish N.H.S., and my teammates. We have all gone are own ways, but the days spent playing football at the stadium or participating in track and field as well as on the wrestling mat were some of the best days ever.”
