Alan Green

The passion, energy and enthusiasm Alan Green has for the sport of track and field will never fade. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him still jogging from one end of the track to the other supporting kids next spring.

Green, though, won’t be doing it as a head coach any longer, as he stepped down quietly over the summer after 30 years -- 26 at his alma mater North Salinas High.

He will remain as the schools head boys basketball coach.

"He truly dedicated his life to kids," Palma track coach Jason Smith said. "It’s hard to find someone more passionate than Alan, when it comes to all sports. But track is his love."

Green never asked for the limelight, always pushing it towards his athletes. Which explains his decision to step down while no one was in school or around to find him.

Yet, the outpouring of support through twitter from coaches and former athletes clearly demonstrates the impact Green made on a sport that has always had a special place in his heart.

A former North Salinas and Hartnell College distance ace -- who still holds a school record with three other teammates in the distance medley at Hartnell -- Green poured his sole into the sport.

And while he was part of a coaching staff that saw North Salinas win a share of the boys state title in 1993, Green seemed to take more pride in seeing all his athletes improve over the course of a spring -- in some cases four years.

"The best coaches in any sport, and Alan is one of them, are the people that connect to sports what you’re going to be doing in life," Smith said. "It’s not just a workout. Alan provided structure and guidance for kids."

The time Green put into building a program and maintaining it was endless. If an athlete wanted to spend more time in their craft, he was there to provide that emotional uplift. The words of wisdom he spread for his athletes was sincere.

"His objective was to make them better on and off the track," Smith said. "It’s something we’ve tried to focus on in our program over the last five years."

His sincerity went beyond his own school. A decade ago Alvarez couldn’t find a track coach. Green agreed to take the program, having kids from Alvarez train at North Salinas with his own team. He saved the program."

For four years, Green actually was the head coach for three sports, coaching cross country, basketball and track and field, leaving the tank empty by June.

"Don’t forget that trip he put together in cross country, giving kids a memory of a lifetime by taking them to a meet in New York," Smith said. "He was bigger than a coach. He was competitive. He wanted to win. But he cared about the sport and his kids."

While he will embark on his 10th season in basketball at North Salinas, the resume he established as a track and field coach and the lives he has touched over 30 years will last an eternity in Monterey County.