John Ybarra, a 2012 US Olympic Trials competitor who has alsocompeted in the shot put at the last three USA track and fieldchampionships, joined the Yale track and field staff as throwscoach in the winter of 2012-13.
Ybarra came to Yale with an impressive list ofaccomplishments both as a competitor and as an assistant coach. Hefinished fifth at the 2011 USA Indoor National Track and FieldChampionships and finished 2010 ranked in the top 20 in the shotput in the United States. He was a five-time Division IIAll-American in the shot put at Adams State College, where he alsoearned Academic All-American honors.
From the spring of 2008 through the spring of 2012, Ybarraserved as an assistant coach at Adams State, helping themen’s team win the NCAA Division II team championship indoorsin 2010 and outdoors in 2012. He coached the 2009 indoor nationalchampion in the shot put, and his throwers earned 14 All-Americanhonors. One of his female throwers had the fifth-furthest discusthrow in NCAA Division II history (180’9”). In additionto coaching a 2008 Olympic qualifier in the women’s discus,Ybarra coached his athletes to 32 NCAA Division II nationalqualifying marks. Ybarra also spent time as the team’srecruiting coordinator, and was part of the staff when Adams Statehosted the 2010 and 2011 NCAA DII Indoor Track and FieldChampionships.
Since Ybarra took over as throws coach, Yale has continued toachieve great success in all of the throw events. Apart from starMike Levine, several other athletes have emerged as scoringthreats, and the discus and hammer throws, especially, have emergedas strengths of the team.
Ybarra earned his B.A. in human performance from Adams State in2007, then earned an M.A. in that same field from Adams State ayear later. He earned the 2008 NCAA DII Post-Graduate ScholarshipAthlete of the Year Award. In 2011 he added an M.B.A. in publicadministration from Adams State.
Ybarra has been working as a sports performance trainer at MVPSports Holland since September. He was Director of Strength andConditioning at Adams State from Jan. 2011 through May 2012, andalso served as a strength and conditioning coach there from August2008 through December 2010.
