Garland Allen is a retired teacher, Athletic Director, coach of Basketball, Football and Track & Field, who served more than 35 years in public education. During his tenure as a high school coach, he coached several high school all-Americans with one going on to become an NCAA division I national champion and another who became a Super Bowl MVP and NFL Hall of Fame inductee.
Garland spent more than 20 years as a Director of Athletics in Greenwich CT and Ridgewood NJ, two highly recognized athletic programs. He also spent eight years as the Director of Wellness for the Ridgewood NJ Public Schools.
Presently, he serves on the Advisory Board for the NYU Sports and Society Program, where he is actively engaged in research and programming on issues related to youth sports. He also serves as a consultant to the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference and is a board member to the New Canaan, CT Sports Commission.
Garland was recognized as a Connecticut High School Coach of the Year in Track and Field, and received the Outstanding Service award from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. He was the 2016 Coach’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, presented by the Greenwich Old Timers Association.
Garland is a Dr. Nettie S. Smith Lecturer who continues to do presentations on contemporary issues in youth sports, including how to develop healthy young athletes and the appropriate role for parents to play in their children’s sports experience.