The Unlikeliest Competitor

By Luis Olivares

You won't recognize his name. But once you've read this, you will recognize his spirit. Whenever Australian competitive natural bodybuilder Joel Coates steps onstage, he is almost certainly the unlikeliest competitor up there. Standing confidently as he goes through his posing routine, his finely-tuned physique belies the fact that it's a miracle he can even walk. Faced with a tragic accident that might very well have taken his life, Joel came through it not just unbeaten, but better than before. This is the story of his transformation.

Born in Swan Hill, a small town in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, Joel Coates grew up in nearby Balranald, an even smaller town just across the border in New South Wales. Raised predominantly by his mother and grandmother, Joel's interest in sports was developed and encouraged at an early age. As a youth, he channeled his athleticism and competitive nature in various directions, among them swimming, basketball, and track and field. But like so many of his countrymen, Joel realized early on that there was truly only one sport for him. In Australia, their particular brand of football is king; and for Joel it was no different.

Australian rules football is a fast-paced game with elements reminiscent of soccer, rugby, and American football. Played without helmets, it can turn brutally violent in an instant, and its players are generally at high risk for injury. Despite this - or perhaps in part because of this - the game inspires a passion bordering on the fanatical among participants and spectators. Though there is danger, there is also a catharsis that comes with it, a celebration of camaraderie and culture. Unfortunately, there are also casualties. On June 30, 2007, the risk caught up with Joel; and in an instant, his life was changed.

On this day, Joel found himself playing for the Tyntynder football club of the Central Murray Football League, a regional amateur football association. The team ran a run play, with Joel carrying the ball downfield flanked by teammates charged with blocking the defenders. Running with his body low to the ground and his head down, Joel executed a quick cut, unaware that one of his teammates was barreling in from behind to attempt a block. The two collided, with Joel's head absorbing the full force of his teammate's charging body. He immediately crumpled to the ground, losing his hearing and the use of his legs.

Upon being taken to the hospital, his condition only deteriorated, as he lost all movement in the right side of his face and body. He developed double vision and could not drink or feed himself on his own. Unable to correctly identify the problem, the doctors transferred him to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, the leading head trauma center in Australia. Three days after sustaining his injury, Joel finally received a conclusive diagnosis. He had suffered a major stroke, due to hemorrhaging in the brain stem as a result of the blow to his head. At the time, his chances of full recovery were uncertain.

After two weeks in the Alfred ICU, Joel was sent to a rehabilitation center. He knew the road to recovery would be long and difficult, as he remained completely dependent on the care of others just to get through day-to-day life. "I couldn't even do simple things such as dry myself after a shower or brush my teeth," Joel says. Facing an uphill battle back to self-sufficiency, he met the challenge and the uncertainty with an uncanny optimism and determination. "I didn't know if I would ever be the same again, which scared the hell out of me, but at the same time I was very determined to make a full recovery," Joel recalls. He describes the rehab process as arduous, and credits a small-scale approach with his ultimate success, setting achievable goals that he could build on and turn into more ambitious ones. Day after day, he slogged through the grueling repetitions, relearning the fundamentals that so many take for granted. Gradually he regained normal vision, his hearing, and the muscle control to do things like smile. He found strength in his fellow patients, always striving to keep his attitude on the bright side: "I met many wonderful people in worse situations than me, which helped me to see the positives in life and not the negatives."

Finally, after three months of hard work, Joel was able to return home, capable of walking and eating under his own power, and even running a little ("not very well," he notes). Due to his difficulty eating, he had lost 15 kg (about 33 lbs) during his recovery, so as soon as he was able, he set about trying to get himself back in shape. Initially very restricted in the gym because he was still without full coordination in the right side of his body, Joel nevertheless continued forward, and little by little, his strength and coordination began to return. After a few months he had regained full use of his right side; his recovery was finally complete. But he didn't stop there.

Now, before the stroke, weight training was already a regular part of Joel's life. A natural athlete, he dedicated himself to physical fitness at an early age, with the complementary goals of looking fit and performing better in his athletic endeavors. He lifted weights five times a week and did cardiovascular work three times a week - so he was clearly no stranger to the gym. But after rededicating himself to the weights in order to get back the body that his devastating injury had taken from him, Joel also discovered a new sense of purpose in his training. A self-described "massive fan" of such bodybuilding icons as Arnold Schwarzenegger and BSN's own Ronnie Coleman, Joel's competitive nature led him to feel that he too could compete on a bodybuilding stage. "I realized that although I had had a stroke, I had the potential to train and compete in a sport that I loved," he says.

Joel took up competitive bodybuilding and hasn't looked back. Putting in the hours of work in the gym training six days a week, he's taken his body to new levels that might've seemed impossible in the days and weeks immediately following his stroke. But after 14 months of determination, the dream came to fruition. On August 30, 2008, Joel Coates stepped onstage at the WNBF Mildura Natural Country Classic and placed second in his division. From stroke survivor to competitive bodybuilder, all in a little over a year.

Joel now makes his living as a personal trainer at Club Aquarius in Mildura, enthusiastically driving others to achieve their own personal success. His day job allows him to inspire others with his energy and his story, while also making it significantly easier to fit his own demanding workout habits into his schedule. Interestingly, this exceptional individual exhibits exceptional taste in his choice of supplements. Joel proudly offers that he exclusively uses BSN products, and scoffs at the idea of using anything else. His current regimen includes SYNTHA-6™, AXIS-HT™, NITRIX®, CELLMASS®, and, of course, the world-famous N.O.-XPLODE™. "I'm a massive fan," he declares.

Though he comes across as a natural optimist, it seems clear that bodybuilding has inspired in Joel a newfound verve. "I have always been a driven and motivated person who has always set goals," he explains. "The passion I have for bodybuilding improved my life, as it gave me something to strive for and eventually achieve." He is also quick to credit his girlfriend, Tammie, with much of his success: "She has been someone I can depend on, and her support has made me who I am today." Now 25, Joel continues to train and will be competing on the Victoria natural bodybuilding circuit this year. Despite having already overcome and achieved so much, it seems inevitable that the best is yet to come. And given the strength and spirit he displays, one thing is certain: Joel Coates will be up to the challenge.

 

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