Matt Burns Event: High Jump (ret. 2000) Personal Best Jumps: 7’2.5” outdoor, 7’1.75” indoor Born: February 27, 1972 High School: John F. Kennedy HS, Cedar Rapids, IA ‘90 College: University of Minnesota ‘95 Career Highlights: 2-time Big Ten Conference Champion: 1993(i), 1994(o) 2-time Big Ten Conference Runner-up: 1992(o), 1993(i) 2-time Academic All-American 1993, 1994 Most Recently: High jump coach at Rock Canyon High School, Littleton, CO.

Not only an athlete, but an avid student of the sport of high jump for over two decades, Matt began high jumping as a high school senior in 1990, and competed in his first Big-Ten Championship meet less than a year later. Matt competed for four years at the University of Minnesota, and after a year off to complete his Electrical Engineering studies, competed for an additional five years as an unattached athlete. During his time at Minnesota, Matt won two Big Ten Championships and finished second (to his Minnesota teammate) an additional two times.

Taking an academic approach to athletic success, Matt began studying every available high jumping resource shortly after he began to jump. In his 3^rd career high school meet he jumped 6’8” and went on to clear that height four more times that year on his way to a 3^rd place finish at the Iowa Track and Field State Championship Meet. His knowledge of the sport increased greatly after joining the University of Minnesota track team as a recruited walk-on. Jumps coach, Dr. Phil Lundin, quickly saw Matt’s desire to learn, and supplemented his own published knowledge by providing Matt access to dozens of jumping and training resources. Matt adapted his training and technique to his research and applied his Mid-Western work-ethic to nearly year-around training. He first jumped over 7 feet as a college sophomore, and over 7’2” as a junior. In his final meet as a college athlete, Matt cleared his personal best of 7’2.5” to capture his second Big Ten title. Following graduation, he remained a student of the sport and was successful at open and invitational meets, consistently jumping over 7 feet, until his retirement from competition in 2000 due to injury.

During his competitive years, and since his retirement, Matt has coached and consulted at numerous high schools and colleges. He most recently coached the high jumpers at Rock Canyon High School in Littleton, CO. His coaching philosophy is simple, and is based on his own path to success in the event. Teach the athletes every aspect of the event as fast as each individual’s interest allows it. An educated athlete has a tremendous advantage over the competition. Matt’s high jump practices are a continuous technical analysis session where his athletes discover what works and what doesn’t, and WHY. Following the 2011 season, he decided to take some time off from high school track coaching to spend time coaching his young children in baseball and basketball.

Matt lives in the Denver area, and to pay the bills, puts his electrical engineering degree to work at Verizon Wireless, helping design and maintain their wireless network. Matt takes every opportunity to pass his high jumping knowledge, gained through research, coaching, and a decade of intense competitive experience, on to coaches and athletes (and their parents).