ROCKINGHAM — Preston Coker, a senior on the Richmond Senior High School track and field team, has been named the Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week.
Arguably the fastest runner at Richmond, Coker has been a four-year sprinter for the Raider team. Through two meets this season, he has swept the board, winning all of his individual races, while staying perfect with two more relay wins. This is Coker’s second career Athlete of the Week recognition.
Athletic Profile
Age: 18
Birthday: Dec. 27, 2000
Year: Senior
Spring Sport: Track and Field
Events: Open 100, 200 and 400, 4×100 Relay
Years on Varsity: 4 Years
Height & Weight: 5-11, 165 pounds
Experience: 4 Years
RUNNING DOWN THE FACTS WITH PRESTON COKER
RSHS Academics: This spring, Coker’s last semester at Richmond, he’s taking four classes. He’s enrolled in Spanish I, World History II Honors, AP Art Appreciation and English IV Honors. An A/B Honor Roll student, Coker is enrolled in the Art cluster, and has a 3.6 GPA.
“My art class is my favorite because I’ve enjoyed art since pre-k,” Coker said. “I really like the depth of it and the concept of art. Ms. (Andrea) McIver is excellent and very influential. My favorite project was my self portrait — at first a little challenging, but I got better at it and it turned out well.”
Coker has also been a member of the Raider football team the past four years, contributing as a wide receiver the past two seasons.
Future Plans: Noting he’d like to attend a four-year college to run track, and possibly play football, Coker wants to major in visual arts and minor in zoology. The two areas of study are different, but two things he enjoys.
He currently has offers to run track at Campbell University and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, but hasn’t made his final decision.
“Right now I just want to continue to go forth with what I’m doing and see where it takes me,” he explained. “My go-to choice is Campbell because I love the campus and it’s a religious school, and I like that. But to be offered by both is a really good feeling.”
With his degree, Coker hopes to someday become an art teacher and sell his pieces in museums and galleries.
Athlete of the Week Stats: The Raider track team competed in one meet last week at Pinecrest High School, and Richmond took second place behind the host Patriots. Coker competed in three of his four events and placed first in each of them. As a team, the Raiders collected 67.25 points.
In the 100-meter dash, Coker’s time of 11.15 seconds was .16 seconds faster than Pinecrest’s Shymeik Reaves. He took the 200-meter dash off, before blowing past his competition in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.13 seconds. That time was 3.05 seconds faster than second-place finisher Walker Mabe (Pinecrest).
In the 4×100 meter relay, which Coker serves as the team’s anchor, Richmond’s group of Malik Stanback, Caleb Hood, D’Marcus Harrington and Coker held off Pinecrest with a time of 43.27 seconds. The Patriots finished second just over two seconds later with a time of 45.52 seconds.
“I want to continue to get better times, win races more efficiently, and finish out strong,” Coker explained. “I want to get good times so I can go to regionals and states. We’re out to win the 4×100 state championship.
“I really trust my teammates,” he added of the relay team. “We know when to hand off the baton at the right time, and I can separate that race from my own events.”
RAPID FIRE – FAST RESPONSES
1) What’s been the key to your success to start your season off undefeated?
“I really just try to keep my mind focused and work on my fundamentals to make my craft better,” Coker said. “My mentality is to win every time and that no one can stop me.”
2) How are running track and playing wide receiver similar? Which do you enjoy most?
“They’re very similar,” he said. “With route running, you have to know how to run, and track helps build technique so it’s easier on the field and I can adapt quicker. I enjoy running track the most because I feel like I’m in my own world. In football you can depend on someone else, but with track it’s just me.”
3) Name an interesting fact about yourself that many people may not know.
“I’m a very non-social person,” Coker closed. “But I enjoy praising God. I just like to be reserved and feel that I learn better that way.”
Coach’s Corner: Head coach Chris Campolieta explained that Coker is one of his team’s best leaders, and someone other runners can look to for advice.
“Preston leads with his actions,” Campolieta said. “Other athletes see the way he works and then they see his results during meets. I fully expect Preston to be competing for conference and state championships by the end of the season.
“He is one of the hardest working young men I have had the opportunity to coach.”
