A four-sport athlete for the Blueboys, Don Coates suited up for the baseball, basketball, football and track & field teams during his time at Illinois College. He was a co-captain of the basketball team who then left and served in the United States Army during World War II, coming back to fulfill his degree requirements and serve as co-captain of the baseball team. Coates later became a teacher and principal, and coached baseball and basketball in Maine for seven years.