Ron Barela

Instagram   Barela joined the Sun Devil track & field staff overseeing the pole vaulters in 2004.   Career Coaching Highlights: 33 of ASU’s all-time top-10 indoor/outdoor pole vaulting marks (men and women) were set by Barela’s athletes. Between his time as a Sun Devil student-athlete and now as a staff member, Barela has been at ASU for every national title the program has earned. Celebrated Tommi Hintnaus, Hayley Rayburn and Sevanna Hanson going 2-3-4 at the 2021 Pac-12 Championships. Followed that performance with all three and Cole Riddle vaulting at the NCAA West Prelims. The women’s best marks in 2021 all rank third, fourth and fifth all-time in the Sun Devil record books. Developed Taylor Starkey into one of the top vaulters in Women's team history. Starkey went 4.28m at the 2024 Pac-12 Championships, as she now holds the fourth-best mark in Outdoor team history. Took Hayley Rayburn to the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships where she earned second team All-American honors. Rayburn’s 4.32m/14-2 jump that season set a new program indoor record. In 2018, true freshman Cole Riddle finished second at the US Junior Championships and seventh at the World U20 Championships. Riddle set the freshman school record by clearing 5.50m/18-0.50 feet, good for second all-time in school history. Coached nine All-Americans & one national champion His women have rewritten the record books with all 20 top-10 marks on the lists (indoor and outdoor combined) belonging to his athletes (all since the 2004 seasons) Coached April Kubishta to the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championship in the pole vault, which helped Arizona State to its first women’s outdoor national title Coached 2x All-American (2012 outdoor, 2013 indoor) Derick Hinch, who holds the #2 indoor and #3 outdoor all-time record Graduate senior Garrett Starkey earned second-team All-American honors at 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships; Starkey also cleared 18-feet for second-best clearance in ASU history. Starkey's younger sister, Taylor, would go on to become one of the Sun Devils' top Women's vaulters just several years later. Coached redshirt sophomore Matt Eckles to Pac-12 pole vault championship in 2017 Men hold a majority of the 20 top-10 marks in indoor and outdoor record book Barela also coached two vaulters to Junior Olympic national titles in 2003 as Kubishta and Glenn each brought home gold medals   Career Highlights as Student-Athlete: Following one year at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, N.M., Barela came to Tempe where he competed in pole vault and decathlon events for the Sun Devils A member of ASU's 1977 NCAA Championship team, Barela still ranks among the best in pole vault at ASU At one point held a top-10 mark both indoors and outdoors in ASU history Barela returned to the coaching ranks in 1997 and began overseeing the pole vaulters of Desert Vista High School in Phoenix In 1998, he competed in the USA Masters Championships in Orono, Maine, in the 40+ age division. He won the national tournament with a vault of 15-1 and earned a berth into the Nike World Masters Games in Eugene, Ore. Competing in two events, Barela finished as the runner-up in both the pole vault and the pentathlon. Top Athletes Coached: April Kubishta (ASU) -- 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year for women's track and field, 2007 NCAA indoor champion, 3x All-American, three top-four national finishes, 2003 Junior Olympic champion, Derick Hinch (ASU) -- 2x All-American (2012 outdoor, 2013 indoor), holds the #2 indoor and #3 outdoor all-time ASU records   COACHING EXPERIENCE (21 Seasons) Arizona State University - Volunteer Assistant Coach, 2004-present Mesa Community College - Assistant Coach, 2002-04   Ron and his wife Christine reside in Phoenix, and have three children, Chris, Patricia and Cynthia.