Jim Rankin began his career as a DeKalb Bear in 1971. He participated in both football and track. Track was the sport that Jim began to excel in, and it did not take long to realize that Jim was an exceptional pole-vaulter. Jim holds the pole vaulting record at DeKalb High School. In 1971 and 1974, Jim was part of the DeKalb track team that won the Regional Track Championships. In 1973 and 1974, Jim was the regional champion in pole vaulting and competed at the State Track Meet in Austin, Texas. He finished as the state runner-up in 1974.
Jim went to Ouachita Baptist University to become a championship pole-vaulter. He was All-Conference and qualified to the National meet two times in Kansas City, Missouri. Jim was national runner-up in 1978.
The highlight of Jim’s career at Ouachita was clearing 17 feet 6 inches in a meet in North Carolina to claim the title of All-American pole-vaulter.
