When Juris Green arrived at our high school in 2001, coaching was the last thing he considered. He began his career in education, teaching at Washington Junior High, and had no intention of stepping into his family’s coaching legacy. However, when he received an opportunity to assist his father, legendary cross country coach Dan Green, Juris started down a path that would ultimately define his career.
For four years, he balanced teaching at Washington Junior High and coaching at McCullough Junior High. When he came to the Woodlands High School, he started his cross-country legacy by establishing the first cross-country class. With the introduction of this class, Juris Green brought a new six-year program to The Woodlands: from seventh grade to senior year, athletes could now focus on cross country throughout their whole middle and high school career.
Although Juris’s original goal was not to coach, the influence of his father and his family’s legacy became impossible to ignore.
His father, Dan Green, began coaching at McCullough in 1976. His brother also coached cross country and track at the University of Arkansas. To the Greens, coaching wasn’t just a career; it was a family business.
“As far as The Woodlands goes, there has only ever been a Green as a head coach,” Juris said, “I have high expectations because I was faced with high expectations,” he explained. “I put this all together, and you’re not going to ruin a family matter.”
Taking over the program came with its own challenges. In his first year as head coach, Juris faced doubt from his friends and peers alike who thought he could never live up to his father’s legacy.
“They told me I couldn’t do what my father had done and that the legacy was over.”
But Coach Green didn’t waver from his path and continued forward.
“I’m not trying to fill anybody’s shoes but my own. I don’t want to be referred to as Dan’s son my whole life. I want to be myself.”
Juris had made a name for himself, leading the team to four state championships in his first five years as head coach: thanks in part to his athletes believing in his vision from the beginning.
His coaching style reflects a combination of his upbringing and his evolution as a leader. Turning away from his father’s “old-school” tactics, Juris Green adjusted his experiences to the modern athlete. He describes this style as “Passionate and Knowledgeable.” A style all of his own.
“You constantly have to be on your toes when finding new ways to train and coach,” he said. “No two years are the same.”
This adaptability has become one of Coach Green’s most significant traits. As head coach of both track and cross country, Green expresses his appreciation for his team’s diversity.
“I get to dip my toes in all the different subgroups of events, and in all those different subgroups, there are different personalities,” he said.
Cross Country, in particular, holds a special place in his heart. Not only did he meet his wife at the University of Arkansas through the sport, but he also coached all three of his daughters in the program.
His love for the sport has changed over the years. When he was an athlete, he was “tunnel-visioned.” However, as a coach, the responsibilities are far greater now. “I want to make everyone else’s job as simple as possible, so I shoulder as much as I can and more.”
He also sees a distinct difference between coaching here and at other schools. The culture, he says, is built on commitment. Green takes pride in his work and the difference it makes in students’ lives: “Other schools don’t inspire kids like we do.”
Coach Juris Green didn’t just inherit a legacy; he built his own. By capturing both tradition and innovation, he’s created a program that reflects where he came from and where he’s determined to go. And for the athletes who train under him, that legacy continues to grow every season.
