Devin Field, nation's top long jumper, is ineligible for now

Junior long-jumper Devin Field led the nation indoors this year and is the two-time defending Class 4A state champion in Texas. However, he may not be able to defend his state title this spring due to a transfer.

The 5-foot-10, 160-pounder won state long jump titles at Lancaster (Texas) as a freshman and sophomore and added the triple jump crown as a sophomore. As a freshman, he won with a leap of 22 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Last year he soared 24-11 1/4 in the long jump and 50-1 3/4 in the triple jump.

Last summer he and his mother moved to DeSoto (Texas). Then, due to his grandmother's sickness, the family had to move to Port Arthur, Texas, in August.

In November, Field told MaxPreps, he moved to DeSoto for academic reasons and is living with his summer coach, Trent Gamble. Since his mother was unable to move at the time, he has been declared ineligible this spring by the Texas University Interscholastic League, which governs all prep sports at public schools.

He said he is hopeful that his mother will be able to move back to DeSoto soon and he will regain his eligibility.



Meanwhile, he had a busy indoor season competing as an individual in meets not sponsored by the UIL.

Field leaped 25 - 5 3/4 to win the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., and that stood up as the No. 1 indoor jump in the nation this year. Since then he has not reached 25 feet due to a nagging back injury. Still, he has won the Texas A&M Classic (24-7), Simplot Games (24-2) and the New Balance Nationals (24-0).

"Right now I'm just resting for a couple weeks and then I'm going into rehab," he said. "I'm trying to prepare myself for the Arcadia (Calif.) meet (April 6-7), but the meet I really am focused on is the World Juniors (in the summer)."

DeSoto coach Mark Brady calls Field "a great kid who trains very hard. A good example for the rest of our athletes for sure, as far as work ethic, etc."