John Philip Haaland

John P. Haaland, 74, passed away October 27, 2019 after a fall and head injury at the UNM football game. He was born in New York City on Dec. 13, 1944. John’s family moved to Albuquerque in 1948, and John resided there the remainder of his life.

John graduated from Manzano High School in its first class in 1962, played basketball and was part of the 1961 Manzano cross-country team that took first place in the NM state meet. He played basketball for Bob King and ran cross country at UNM in 1963. John graduated from UNM in 1968 and later also received his master’s degree at UNM. He then began a 46-year career as an elementary PE coach in Albuquerque. He coached at Aspen, Zuni, Governor Bent, Hodgin, Sierra Vista, and Alamosa elementary schools. He loved coaching the children and only stopped when he had health problems. John spent his entire adult life involved in coaching and track and field. John, Tony Sandoval and John Baker were instrumental in making the Duke City Dashers Track Club for girls and boys a national powerhouse from 1968 until 1982. John Baker was John’s best friend and a nationally acclaimed miler from UNM who died in 1970 and was the subject of the movie "The Shining Season" for which John was an actor and consultant. He became head coach for the girls’ track and field and boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams at Del Norte High School (1985-99). John’s teams won many District Championships and placed second in the state in 1991. John was Region VII Girls’ Track and Field Coach of the Year in 1995 and Region VI Coach of the Year for the National Federation of Interscholastic Coaches Association. He was also general chairman of the Great Southwest Track & Field Classic, which brought 700 elite high school athletes to Albuquerque from 2001-2018. In 2019 he was awarded the UNM Track Lifetime Achievement Award, only the 2nd time the award has been given. Never wasting an hour, John also ran a commercial cleaning business throughout NM for the last 30 years.

John was preceded in death by his parents John and Chris and brother, Tom. He is survived by his daughter Jennifer Cannon and husband Keil, grandchildren Kaia, Eli, and Juliette, and brothers, David and wife Kathy, James Haaland, and sister Vickie Paley and husband Thomas. Jennifer and his 3 grandchildren were the joy of his life. John is also survived by nieces and nephews: Elisa McEneely and husband Mike, Tashia Camp and husband Darrol, Leora Davis and husband Nick, Terra Wilson, Malena Von Deneen and husband Steve, Ryan Haaland, and Thomas T. Paley II and wife Bernadette. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1100 Indian School Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers Memorial contributions may be made to The Great Southwest Track and Field Classic, c/o Fred Polich, 1932 Madeira NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110.

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