Tom grew up in Los Angeles, graduated from Montebello High School and spent two years at Fullerton Junior College. He transferred to Whittier College in 1953. While at Whittier he was a two-year letterman in both football and track.
Tom’s coaching career began immediately after graduation, when he coached cross country and assisted the track coach at Whittier College. A two-year hitch in the U.S Army Medical Corps in Germany gave him the opportunity to coach track teams for both the 85th Infantry Regiment and the 10th Division. Following his discharge, Tom accepted employment at Buena Park High School as head varsity track coach and assistant varsity football coach. He then spent seven years at Fullerton Junior College as head cross country and track coach, where his cross country team won championships in the Eastern and Southern California Conferences and track field team won Eastern Conference championships in 1966 and 1967 and placed second in Southern California in 1968.
Moving the UCLA as assistant track coach for field events, Tom’s teams were PAC-8 Champions in 1969-71 and 1973, in addition to being NCAA Champions in 1971-73.
The Tellez coaching expertise continued as he became head men’s and women’s track & field and cross country coach at the University of Houston in 1976, a position he maintains today. A record of outstanding team championships includes the following: Southwest Conference (SWC) Men’s Indoor Champions, 1977 and 1978; SWC Women’s Cross Country Champions from 1982-84, co-champions in 1985; SWC Women’s Indoor Champions in 1984 and 1987; SWC Women’s Outdoor Champions in 1983, 1984 and 1990. In addition, Tom has coached the U.S National Team as follows: European Tour, Head Coach, 1974 and 1977; Olympic Team, assistant coach for throwing events in 1980 and for jumping events in 1984; Pan American Games, Head Men’s Coach, 1987; World Championships, Men’s Head Coach, 1991.
National honors and accomplishments have included being named NCAA Women’s Coach of the Year in 1987 and NCAA Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year in 1990. He was the recipient of the Hispanic Heritage Award in 1990 and received the Alumni Achievement Award from Whittier College in 1991.
Tom has the distinction of having coached at least one NCAA individual champion each year from 1979-90 and his athletes are among the most prominent in the sport of track and field.
Among the Olympic medalists he has developed are: Kirk Baptiste, 1984 silver medal for 200 meters; Joe DeLoach, 1988 200-meter gold medal; Leroy Burrell, 1992 400-meter relay gold medal; Michael Marsh, 1992 200-meter and 400-meter relay gold medal; Frank Rutherford, 1992 triple jump bronze medal; Michelle Finn, 1992 400-meter relay gold medal; and Carl Lewis, whose eight gold medals are the second-most won by anyone in Olympic Track competition. In addition, Lewis and Burrell have each set a world record for 100 meters and Marsh, Lewis and DeLoach have three of the four fastest 200-meter races ever run.
Inducted as an honorary member March 14, 1993.
