High School Sports
SPSL South: C.J. Green a seriously good player

By Sandy Ringer
Seattle Times staff reporter

JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES C.J. Green's smile belies a serious nature. He is student-body president at Federal Way.

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FEDERAL WAY — C.J. Green grew up fast because he had to.

The senior from Federal Way was only 9 years old when his father died. His mother, Veronica, worked long hours to provide for them, so Green had to accept a lot of responsibility early.

"I had to grow up pretty quick," he said. "I didn't have a man figure, so I tried to be the man of the house. A lot of people said I'm mature for my age, and I guess that's why. I tried to take on more responsibilities." A father's death and a mother's tough love helped Green grow into one of the most mature, responsible students at Federal Way High School, where he is student-body president, captain of the football team and one of the South Puget South League South Division's top running backs and safeties.

Veronica Green admits their lives changed drastically when Carl Sr. died of heart failure two months short of his 43rd birthday after battling kidney disease. C.J. — Carl Jr. — had to be much more accountable for himself than most grade-schoolers.

"C.J. had to grow up and take responsibilities," she said. "I had to get up at 3 in the morning and drive to Bellevue for work. If he got in trouble, I had to drive back and miss a half-day of work. Everything was on my shoulders — bills, his grades, everything. He had to be responsible for getting himself up and dressed and doing his homework. If he missed the bus, he had to walk to school. I couldn't baby him."

The maturity carries over into sports. C.J. takes tasks seriously — almost too seriously, according to coach John Meagher.

"The way he leads and commands respect from the other kids is special," Meagher said. "Sometimes I think C.J.'s only fault is that he's too mature for his age. I know he has his light moments and he's a fun kid, but he's pretty serious."

Green began making a name for himself at a young age. Football, basketball, track — he excelled at all of them. At the time, C.J. was heavy for his age and played defensive end, tight end or offensive guard for the Federal Way Hawks junior football team. Even as a ninth-grader, he played linebacker or defensive end.

Now Green is a chiseled 5 feet 10, 185 pounds. He might be one of the best-conditioned athletes in the league after a summer regimen that included 4 to 5 hours of training per day.

"I gave it everything I had every day and every night because I've got to be the best I can be," Green said.
 
Meagher believes Green can play in college despite his relatively small stature. "He gets the most out of what he has."

Green attended camps at Oregon and Oregon State this summer, and coaches told them they'd follow him the first few weeks of the season.

"He's one of the most complete players I've coached in terms of what he brings to the table," he said. "He has good speed and strength, and his vision as a running back is solid. He's my favorite type of running back in that he runs north and south. He doesn't dance around. He gets the hard yards, and he'll take a hit."

Or deliver one. Although Green carried the ball for more than 1,000 yards last season, his first love is defense.

"On defense, I just like to be greedy," he said. "When I get on the field I have a different mentality, like a dog, like a possessed animal trying to make a hit."

His teammates say he's a handful on either side of the ball.

"He's a game-breaker," senior lineman Alex Grays said. "On any given Friday night, he can bust a big one (run) and break your heart. And when he's on defense, he can break your heart, too."

Sandy Ringer: 206-718-1512 or sringer@seattletimes.com