Interview: AJ Green
In High School, AJ Green was the lead running back at Tulsa Union, but in the spring, he was the top sprinter on one of the best teams in the state. Throughout his time as a sprinter, Green won multiple state titles and anchored the 4x100m state record at the 2021 6A state meet.
Green's PR's are 10.38 in the 100m dash, 21.46 in the 200m dash, and a 47.7 anchor leg split in the 4x400m.
Now, Green plays Division 1 football. Recently, he transferred from The University of Arkansas to Oklahoma State University. Watch out for AJ this fall as he prepares for this upcoming football season!
Below, AJ recollects moments from his high school track career, and provides advice for current high school sprinters.
Green pictured 2nd to the left at the OSSAA 6A State Meet 2021.
Q) What was your most memorable moment running track in high school?
A) My most memorable moment is my very last track meet which was state and being a part of the record breaking 4x1 team with a time of 40.75. That will be something that I bet will stand for a long time until the next fast tulsan's come around to break it. But I will also always remember the moments with my older brothers running with me and we even got to break records together as well so that's another group that will always be memorable to me.
Q) Do you feel like track helped you with football or hurt you and why?
A) I believe that track definitely helped with my football career because coming out of high school I was known for my speed and I wanted to make sure I could keep my speed while training for college football which is why I chose not to leave school early. I believe it helped develop my endurance and the loads of high running I can do.
Photo by John D. James from nwahomepage.com
Q) What advice do you have for high school sprinters wanting to improve?
A) Trust what coaches are teaching and always look for things to improve on, and also watch the best sprinters in the world and try to mimic their movements in training to help yourself.
Q) What else interests you other than football and track?
A) I love everything that has to do with competing. I love to compete with others because that's what brings the best out of you, but more specifically I love to play basketball and lift weights. I also love gaming and yes I play 2k and Call of Duty those are my specialties. I love cars and I'm always watching stuff about cars and I also love listening to music, I wanna write a song one day but who knows when that will be.
Q) Who was the most impactful track coach you had throughout your time as a sprinter? And in what ways did that individual impact you?
A) The most impactful coach I've ever had is Coach Steve Patterson and his daughter Jessie Washington. These two helped me perfect my craft as much as possible throughout my track career as a varsity sprinter. Another Coach would be Melvin Brown from my very first years of sprinting, he's the one who showed me the ropes and helped me fall in love with track. Coach Patterson taught me how everything was "the battle of the mind." That's something he told me from the moment I met him and that's something that has stuck with me ever since.
Q) Greatest lesson sprinting taught you?
A) Battling with your emotions and thoughts and the pain you could be going through as you are working out or doing anything. Like Coach Patterson said it's the battle of the mind and as long as you keep telling yourself you will finish strong you will finish strong.
Q) Was there an event you wish you had the chance to do in high school? And if so what event was it?
A) I always wanted to see how good I could do in long jump. I can jump and I'm fast so I always figured that I could put up some great numbers if I learned the technique and all that. But of course I wasn't allowed to try that because my events were full of sprinting events, but if I could've done it for just one meet I feel like I would've been able to place at least top 5 in the event.
Now playing football at Oklahoma State University, Green is three years removed from high school track and field. And although his life is very different now, the lessons and memories from his days running high school track have stuck with him. Make sure to look out for AJ on your tv screens this fall as Oklahoma State begins their 2024 football season.
Thank you for reading,
Shawn Rutledge
