Doug Porter is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes in Washington State history. A graduate of Lakeside School in Seattle, Porter excelled in football, basketball, and track and field, earning 12 varsity letters. His junior year brought statewide attention when he won the pole vault at the 1979 state indoor and outdoor meets, establishing school and state records at 14’6” and finishing fourth in the state decathlon. By his senior year, Porter had gained national recognition for his remarkable performances across all three sports.

In football, Porter lettered all four years, setting Lakeside records in total passing yards, touchdowns, and defensive interceptions. He was selected to the Seattle Times’ All-Area Team as a quarterback and earned All-American honors from Scholastic Coach Magazine. Porter set a school record with 11 interceptions in 1979. On the basketball court, he led both the Metro AA and AAA leagues in scoring, set a school record with 46 points in a single game, and was named to the Seattle P-I All-Area Team, earning Lakeside’s Athletic Cup as arguably the greatest athlete in school history.

Porter’s track and field achievements were equally impressive. As a sophomore, he set a school record in the pole vault and finished third at the Metro League Championships. He won the state indoor and outdoor pole vault titles as a junior, setting state and Metro League records, placed fourth in the state decathlon, won the regional Junior Olympics, and finished tenth nationally in the pole vault. As a senior, he set a state record at 15’1” in the pole vault and earned All-American honors from the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.

After high school, Porter attended Occidental College, where he continued to dominate in track and field, setting a school record in the decathlon and becoming the second-best pole vaulter in school history. He captured the NCAA Division III national decathlon and pole vault titles in 1983, setting a 16’6” pole vault record, and repeated as national decathlon champion in 1984. Porter was an eight-time All-American in track and field while also playing quarterback and safety for the football team. He was inducted into the Occidental College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Division III Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2007.

Today, Porter gives back to his community as a teacher and coach at his alma mater, Lakeside. He serves as head track and field coach, assistant football coach, and freshman basketball coach. Under his guidance, the girls’ track and field teams have captured three state titles, 19 individual state championships, and set four state records, including two in the pole vault.