Former Franklin Regional, North Allegheny basketball coach was 'dedicated to excellence'

Robert Greenleaf’s slogan with his Franklin Regional basketball team was “Dedicated to Excellence.”

And the longtime educator and basketball aficionado lived the motto in all aspects of his life, friends and family said.

“He was well-known and well-loved,” said Bob Bozzuto, who worked with Greenleaf in both the Franklin Regional and North Allegheny school districts over the years. “He was happiest when he was in the classroom or on the court.”

Robert R. Greenleaf, 58, of Pittsburgh, formerly of Murrysville, died Wednesday.

Greenleaf was born March 10, 1967, the son of Barbara Greenleaf and the late Robert Kurtz Greenleaf. He grew up in Murrysville and played basketball for Franklin Regional. After high school, he attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning both his bachelor’s and MBA degrees, and helping to manage the school’s basketball team.

Bozzuto, athletic director at North Allegheny, first met Greenleaf 45 years ago, when Greenleaf was a high school basketball player. Later, Greenleaf would go on to become Franklin Regional’s coach, leading the team to a state championship in 1997.

“I was athletic director at FR when he was a student-athlete,” Bozzuto said. “When I came to North Allegheny, we brought Rob here as our head basketball coach and a social studies teacher.”

Bozzuto said Greenleaf was passionate about basketball.

“We hired Rob for our varsity when he was still pretty young,” Bozzuto said. “But he was smart. He loved student-athletes and he loved the game.”

Adrian Batts, athletic director and high school basketball coach in the Jeannette City School District, worked as Greenleaf’s assistant coach at Franklin Regional.

“He gave me my first coaching job and he really means a lot to me,” Batts said. “He was a great mentor and a dedicated guy.”

Batts said Greenleaf had an energetic coaching style that he sometimes had to tamp down back in the day.

“As a head coach back then, you couldn’t stand up. You had to sit the whole game,” Batts said. “But he always had our guys prepared and taught them how to play tough. He showed me so much about how to prepare your team, on and off the court.”

Bozzuto said Greenleaf was knowledgeable and focused on the court and in the classroom.

“He enjoyed teaching and loved coaching, and he was very good at both,” he said.

Greenleaf is survived by his mother, Barbara Greenleaf; two aunts, Bonnie (Tony) Mack and Alice Jane Serra; and several cousins.

Visitation will be Saturday from 6-8 p.m. and June 8 from 2-6 p.m. at Hart Funeral Home, 3103 Lillian Ave., Murrysville. A service of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. June 9 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Murrysville, followed by interment at Penn Lincoln Memorial Park in Irwin.