Donnie Green ready for next challenge: Build RSCC women’s soccer program

March 15, 2023 by Ken Lay

Donnie Green has always embraced a challenge. And he’ll soon embark on a new one.

Green was recently named the first women’s soccer head coach at Roane State Community College, where he will build a program from scratch.

That’s nothing new for the Oak Ridge High School girls soccer coach,as he started the girls program at Knoxville’s Grace Christian Academy several years ago.

“I’ve always liked a challenge and I’ve always liked to start programs,” Green said. “I started my club team and I started the women’s program at Grace.”

While he didn’t build a program from scratch at Oak Ridge, he inherited a Lady Wildcats program that had fallen on hard times. Now, he’s returned ORHS to being a constant competitor in District 3-AAA, a league that includes West High, Powell, Knoxville Central and Karns.

Green will come back for the 2023 season to have one more ride with the Lady Wildcats as the team returns a talented roster.

“I met with (ORHS Athletic Director Joe) Gaddis and it was a good feeling,” Green said. “It was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve ever made. It was tough because I know that I have a talented group of young players, freshmen and sophomores, coming back.”

But after months of prayer and thought, the coach decided to make the leap into community college soccer. And he’s not making the leap solely for himself.

He’s heading to Roane State for the high school athletes who have either abandoned or are thinking of leaving the pitch after high school.

“What appealed to me was the challenge of starting the program; I always like to do that.” Green said. “But what really appeals to me is the chance to allow these student-athletes to continue to play, to continue to pursue their dreams.

“I wanted to give these female student-athletes another opportunity, another place where they continue to play, and that’s the biggest reason that I decided to do this.”

Another reason Green is headed to the college game is for a bit of financial security, as he will soon retire.

“This is not the big reason that I’m doing this, but I’m looking at retirement and this job pays a pretty good salary and I can continue to do this after I retire,” he said. “But the biggest reason that I decided to do this is so I can give these student-athletes the opportunity to continue to play.”