Donald Wayne Green - 2004
Don Green grew up in Birmingham, Alabama
and graduated from Jones Valley High School. While there, he letter four years
in baseball, three years in football, and two years in basketball. He was
selected to play in the North-South All-Star Football and the East-West Baseball
Games. Green attended Florida State University and Samford University on
football scholarships, lettering three years at Samford, where he earned his
Bachelor of Science degree. In 1965, he completed graduate work at the
University of Alabama, received his Master of Arts degree, and married the
former Mary Hartung. Later he earned an additional thirty hours of graduate
education, also at Alabama.
Green?s successful teaching and coaching
career began at Banks High School. As the line coach, he was instrumental in
Banks? winning the 4A State Football Championship. After one year at Banks, he
moved to Jefferson State Junior College as a physical Education Instructor and
Head Baseball Coach. In his twenty-eight years as baseball coach, Green?s teams
compiled a record of 622-428. In 2004, the 622 wins rank him as the
27th winingests baseball coach among the inactive National Junior
College Athletic Association coaches nationwide. Impressive, is the fact that
this was accomplished without a home field for nine seasons. Green?s teams won
the Alabama Junior College Conference, Northern Division, ten times. In 1978
and 1979, his Pioneers won the Region XXII Championship. Green was named
Northern Division Coach of the Year nine times. Twice, he was chosen Coach of
the Year for Region XXII.
In addition to coaching, Green promoted
baseball in the Alabama Conference. He served as President of the AJCCC
Baseball Committee for three years and was First President Elect of the NJCAA
Baseball Committee. From 1991 through 1996, he held the position of Athletic
Director at Jefferson State Community College.
Outside the realm of Junior College
athletics and despite a busy coaching schedule, Green coached his two sons,
Derek and Chad, in youth YMCA Basketball Program for many years. In addition,
he was a member of the American Baseball Coach Association, the United States
Baseball Federation and the Alabama State Association for Health, Physical
Education, Recreation and Dance. He coached in the Alabama Sports Festival
Baseball Tournament and is a member of the Alabama Baseball Coaches
Association.
Since his retirement in 1996, Green has
continued his community his community involvement. He is currently a volunteer
in the Interfaith Hospitality Network, a service for homeless families.
Athletics continues to be a part of his life. In 1998, Green was elected
Co-Tournament Director for the TimberCreek Men?s Golf Association serving in
this position for two years. In 2000, he was elected president of the
association. Also he has served on the Eastern Shore Challenge Cup Committee
which sponsors tournaments to raise college scholarship funds for golfing
athletes. In 2001, a highlight of Green?s retirement was his induction into the
Alabama Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.