[3] After a family move, he attended Lane Manual Technical High School in North, Chicago, Illinois, where he may have received training that prepared him for his subsequent career in the steel industry.

[4] By 1923, he represented Lane Technical in diving competition, where he competed in the Interscholastic Championships at the Illinois Athletic Club Pool in Chicago that December.

In his Junior, year where he served as Class President, he captured both Conference and NCAA titles and won his place on the 1928 U.S. Olympic team.

[7][8] As a Senior around 1929-1930, he served as team captain, placed second in the Big Ten Conference, and captured the NCAA Diving title.

[7][1][10] In February, 1927, he served as a pall bearer, along with Johnny Weismuller for fellow IAC swimmer, Northwestern Student and 1924 Olympic swimming gold medalist Sybil Bauer.

Colbath's stocky, muscular build and six foot height was unusual for a young competitive diver during his era.

[1][6] He died on March 24, 1986 at a Palm Beach Gardens Nursing Home and was buried in Saint Mark's Episcopal Church Columbarium.