Blue Devil Alumni Spotlight: Carita Goines Green

Name – Carita Goines-Green
UW-Stout graduation year – 1994
Major – Business Administration
Sport(s) – Basketball and Track & Field
Years Played – Basketball 1990-94, Track 1992-94
Hometown (High School) – Minneapolis, MN (Roosevelt)
Currently Reside – Eagan, MN

Why did you choose to be a collegiate student-athlete at UW-Stout?  I came to UW-Stout on a high school visit and I had never been on a college campus before and it seemed like a nice place.  I liked UW-Stout because of their small school learning environment and hands-on approach.  I felt that style fit me well.  I met with Coach T (women's basketball coach Mark Thomas) about playing basketball and it all ended up working out.  I liked knowing that I had the opportunity to participate in sports at the next level and that my professors know me by name.

What did you like most about competing in collegiate athletics?  I liked the competition in the games/meets.  I did not like the practices, but they were important as they helped me prepare for each competition.  It is neat to look back on everything and see how everything comes together and the hard work pays off.

What is the greatest lesson you learned from being a collegiate student-athlete?  Being a student-athlete taught me how to push my limits and reach for more than I thought possible.  During workouts it was difficult to go harder and faster but when it was done it didn't seem so bad.  I have learned that going outside of my comfort zone is not a bad thing and can allow me to accomplish things I didn't know I could do.

Who was the most influential person in your athletic career? I would have to say (women's track & field coach) Glen McMicken was an influential person in my athletic career.  He challenged me and I got better, but he made it fun. He had a knack of finding a way for me to push myself without knowing it.  He would allow me to completely recover between reps but then expected me to go 100 percent the next rep.  This helped me prepare for competitions and it has carried forward in life and my career.

What is your most memorable or favorite sports moment at UW-Stout? Every time we beat UW-Eau Claire was memorable.  They were always one of the best teams in the conference and we would compete for the conference championship.  We had a very good team and some of the games were not as competitive but when we played our rival, we had to come to play.  Also, the first year I participated in track and won conference in the 400m and 200m, I realized that I should take this more seriously because I have the capability of doing well. 

How did your teammates describe you as a person and a student-athlete?  I was someone who never missed a class and sat in the front and engaged in the learning.  I took those things seriously because I didn't have an alternative to getting a degree.  Finishing college was important to me so I could support me and my family in the future.  In athletics people would say I was a positive person.  I remember some UW-La Crosse student-athletes telling me they wanted to hate me but they couldn't because I was too nice to them before and after the race.  It is important to me to have good sportsmanship no matter the situation.

Outside of athletics, what other activities were you involved in at UW-Stout? Being a multisport athlete was time consuming but I did do a couple other things.  Throughout my time I participated in the Black Student Union a little, worked in the weight room, worked in admissions at Stout, and worked at National Guardian Life.

Give us a brief synopsis of your life since graduating from UW-Stout, include job and family?
After I graduated from UW-Stout I got a job at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.  I worked there for 12 years where I worked my way up to a corporate trainer and then a manager of corporate training.  I went back to school at UW-River Falls to get my Masters in education.  I was coaching track and basketball and wanted to do some teaching.  Training at Blue Cross and Blue Shield was very similar to this and I ended up getting a license in K-12 counseling.  I landed a job at Eastview High School and have been there for seven years.  I will be starting a new job as an Integration Equity Coordinator as a District Office Administrator and am very excited for that opportunity.  I have also helped coach track at Eastview for the past two years.

As far as my family goes, I married my high school sweetheart, Alvin Green, and we have been married for 20 years.  We have 13 year old twins.  My son AJ has almost a faster 400m time than my fastest time ever.  Last year was officially his first year of track as a 7th grader and we worked on his form and it has been a lot of fun to watch.  My daughter Kendyl is also in track but is probably going to be a jumper.  It will be fun to watch them both grow up. 

Give us an insider look to both the basketball and track teams.
Basketball was a close team because we spent so much time together.  We were all working for a common goal and each person had to be on the same page.  Being a part of a team is what the college experience is all about.  From practice to the games, the memories and experiences I got from that are invaluable.

I remember when it was time for the track conferences meet, we would pick the name of a teammate and decorate their locker for them and maybe  write them a quote or words of wisdom.  This made you feel good no matter the outcome and gave you a sense of family because they were there for you.  I still remember one quote that was put in my locker. 

"I like to run, it makes me smile, I think I'll run another mile." - Dr. Suess