Longtime coach and educator Alan Withers will receive the “Heart of a Champion” award during the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony in September. Photo courtesy of Alan Withers

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Those around longtime head coach and educator Alan Withers would tell you “It's about time,” upon hearing the recent news that he is being inducted into the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame this September. 

With a career spanning four decades, Withers, a respected history teacher, spent nearly 20 years as a cross country, track and field and wrestling coach at Mitchell Middle School and later Cordova High School.

Withers later spent time at Folsom High School as a cross country and track and field coach, before turning his sights onto the administration side of education. He would serve as principal at Williamson Elementary School, Mather Heights Elementary School and Mather Youth Academy in Rancho Cordova. Although his coaching career ended in 1988, Withers continued as an administrator until his retirement in 2009. 

His coaching career saw many league and section titles between schools in Rancho Cordova and Folsom, respectively, and he is being recognized with the “Heart of a Champion” award during his induction this fall. 

“It feels very good,” Withers said after receiving the news. “The biggest thing is the response from my former athletes. They said, 'It's about time' and 'congratulations, coach.' So that added to it.”

Alan Withers coached athletics from 1969 through 1988. Photo courtesy of Alan Withers

When asked what ranks Number One from his coaching career, Withers said that being able to coach some of the most well-known athletes is at the top of his list. One specific name stood out to Withers and that was Cordova Class of 1977 graduate and varsity athlete Gerald Willhite. Willhite, who did not play football in high school, later starred at American River College, San Jose State, and eventually, with the Denver Broncos in the NFL. 

“I had the privilege of coaching many outstanding athletes,” Withers said. “One of the most amazing ones, an amazing individual, was Gerald Willhite. He wrestled for me at 98 pounds and ran track. He did the long jump; he did it all. He didn't even play football at Cordova; they said he was too small. He later went to American River College and grew from 98 pounds to 160 pounds. He kept growing and later rushed for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Then he transferred to San Jose State and did the same thing, and then he played in the Superbowl for the Denver Broncos.”

Withers later helped create a basketball program at Williamson Elementary School and eventually included Mather Heights Elementary School as well, giving students another athletic outlet that had not previously existed during that time. All along, Withers’ goal between educating and coaching was simple.

“I just tried to get kids to believe in themselves,” Withers said. 

The Cordova Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 at Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at https://form.jotform.com/cordovacouncil/rcaa-reception-tickets-2025.