Cornelsen loves track and field

By Scott Moore
The Norman Transcript

May 09, 2008 12:52 am

— Rex Cornelsen’s name is probably on a wall somewhere at Texhoma High School. If not, it should be. He was one of the best shot putters the school’s ever had.
“I still hold the school record,” he said.
He made his mark as an athlete, then as a coach. He put down roots in Norman over two decades ago and never left. And he’s not planning on it, either.
When Butch Peters resigned as NHS football coach April 3, it marked an end of an era. Peters was the Tigers longest-serving coach, roaming the sidelines for 35 years.
That title now belongs to Cornelsen.
Cornelsen has been coaching and teaching at NHS for 24 years and has been the head track and field coach since 1997. He was an assistant football coach until two years ago.
“I got out of football because I wanted to watch my daughter play volleyball,” he said.
Overall, he’s taught and coached for 33 years. In the classroom, he teaches algebra II. As a track coach, his specialty is the throwing events.
He’s doing exactly what he wants to do.
“I enjoy it,” Cornelsen said. “It’s very gratifying, especially to coach track.”
NHS will be at the Class 6A state meet today and Saturday in Ardmore. The NHS girls are coming off a regional victory in Durant and will be represented in most events. The boys don’t have the same contingent, but shold score some points.
Even though the Tigers won a regional, they will be hard pressed to win a state title. Midwest City is far and away the best team.
“They are really, really good,” Cornelsen said. “We’d have to have an excellent outing by everyone. Midwest City is so strong in so many events.”
Individually, the Tigers are counting on Sasha King, who will be the favorite in the 300 hurdles. Lauren Vanderpool has a shot to medal in the 100 meters and 200 meters, while Angelica Martinez has a chance in the 3200.
For the boys, Cameron Tabor is the favorite in the shot and discus. He’s a two-time state champ in the discus and won the shot last year. Jack Jewell also has a chance to medal in those events.
“We work with the throwers for about three hours,” Cornelsen said. “That’s my specialty. That’s what I coach.”
Parker Bowles won regional titles in the 1600 and 3200, and has a shot to medal at state.
The field events begin at 10 a.m. with the boys shot put. The preliminaries for the running events start at 1 p.m. The only other finals today are the boys and girls 3200. The boys run at 3:55 p.m., while the girls run at 5:35.
After graduating from Panhandle State, Cornelsen spent the first 11 years of his career teaching and coaching football and track, first in Texas an then at Medford in far northern Oklahoma. He arrived in Norman in 1984.
“I can see myself doing this until whenever I retire,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed football and track. It’s probably more gratifying to coach track than football, so I don’t miss it that much. Track is not as demanding. Football takes up so much of your time. You watch a lot of film in football. I don’t watch any film in track.
“The thing I get the most out of this job is when a kid kind of sees the light …When they understand what you are teaching them and they decide that they’re going to try and master it. That’s what it’s all about, right there. You get more out of that than you get out of your salary.”
Scott Moore
366-3535
sports@normantranscript.com