Acknowledged for 20 years in sport Te Awamutu Athletic Club coach Murray Green honoured
Te Awamutu Athletic Club’s head coach Murray Green was honoured for more than 20 years of service to his sport at the Athletics NZ annual meeting in Wellington.
Green was blown away by the recognition.
The chairman of Athletics Waikato/BOP was attending the national body’s annual conference, AGM and NZ Cross Country Championships and he was unaware he was going to receive any award.
“It certainly was a special moment to be called out in front of most of the important people involved in the administration of athletics,” said Green.
It was the second long service award he had received in a few weeks, having been presented with a similar award at the Athletics Waikato/BOP AGM.
“I am part of the Award’s Panel but this had obviously been kept a secret from me,” he said. Green was nominated by the Te Awamutu Club and thanked Dave O’Keeffe for instigating that.
“My wife Linda had also played a role in proceedings without ever letting on.”
Green was involved in athletics as a child, starting at Waharoa aged seven. When the family moved farms three years later the youngster transferred to the Matamata Club where he competed until he left school. He then got involved in Surf Lifesaving at Pauanui for eight years. He enjoyed it, and that was the end of athletics. Lifesaving days came to an end when he and Linda moved to Auckland in 1987 and started a family the next year. By 1994 they had moved to Morrinsville and Green got involved in athletics again “just as a helper” for the Morrinsville club just out of recess.
The family moved to Te Awamutu in 1998 when they purchased Guys Paper Plus & Toyworld. That started their long involvement with Te Awamutu Athletics Club with their young children. Initially “just a helper”, it wasn’t long before Green joined the committee as treasurer.
After five years he became president for eight years before stepping down so he could become more involved at higher levels, and coaching took up increasing amounts of his time.
Green is a past president of Athletics Waikato/BOP and has been chairman for the past four years — but he says his real passion is coaching. This was sparked when his son Michael started training with the late Neal Webb’s College squad.
“Neal asked one night if I would like to coach the distance athletes. I said I had no coaching credentials, but he told me it was clear to him that I did, despite no formal qualifications.”
That has led to Green coaching for 16 years.
He started out with the distance squad and then, when Webb moved to Australia, he also took over coaching sprinters and jumpers.
Green believes if it wasn’t for the coaching, he may well not have stayed involved in athletics.
“My longevity in the sport can be attributed to one special young athlete, Laura Sinclair. She was a very good athlete, extremely driven, and ultimately secured a scholarship to America. We remain special friends.
“I’ve been fortunate to have had several other fine young athletes to work with too.”
His latest star is sprinter Leah Belfield, a double New Zealand champion who has won many medals up to international level.
Green says having three of the last five head students at Te Awamutu College (Megan Bethell, Jonny Beaver and Belfield) as part of his athletics team has been quite special.
The long-serving coach still attends Te Awamutu Athletics club nights every Tuesday and acknowledges his family’s support.
“No doubt my kids, and now grandkids, have missed out at times, but my wife Linda is the one who has made the greatest sacrifice.
“I’m at athletics at least five days per week, plus committee meetings.”
He is proud his daughter Jacqui continues to help out at Te Awamutu’s annual Ribbon Day and occasionally at club nights. Green says that he can’t give up while Wayne Strong is still involved.
“That guy is a legend and an inspiration,” he says.