but for the past 26 years, coach margaret dixon has been with them every step of the way. >> i don't just coach them on the track. i coach them through their life because i know that they need me all the way through they life many of them so they call me for advice. >> reporter: and they listen because they know she's been in their shoes. margaret dixon grew up in west oakland and worked 25 years as a oakland police officer but she's always taken the time to help the kids in her community. >> i wanted young people to know that, yes, law enforcement can also be part of your family so i wanted to be that extended family to them. >> reporter: that's what she has been for willie griffin. willie started running at the oakland p.a.l. track team when he was 4. he says there were times when he was rough on coach dixon. but steve? gave up on him -- she never gave up on him. >> always think about the support she gave me, sacrifices she made. i think about the time where she was telling me to just go home, leave practice. and everything played a part into keeping me on the straight road because

margaret dixon worked 25 years as an oakland police officer.'s always taken the time to help the kids in her community. >> i wanted young people to know that yes, law enforcement can also be part of your family. so i wanted to be that extended family to them. >> that's what she's been for willy griffin. willy started running when he was 4. there were times when he was rough on coach dixon, but she never gave up on him. >> i always think about the support she gave me, the sacrifices she made. i think about the time when she was telling me to go home, leave practice, played a part in keeping me on a straight road. she taught me discipline away from home. >> as a police officer, margaret was recognized for developing numerous community programs. adopt a family, hoops for education. read and run. she retired from the department seven years ago and started teaching a class in clinical justice at merit college, challenging her students to serve their community. >> what do you see yourself doing to make a difference? >> reporter: and as she does on th

for the past 26 years, coach margaret dixon has been with them every step of the way. >> i don't coach them just on the track. i coach them through their life because i know that they need me all the way through their life, many of them. so they call me for advice. >> reporter: and they listen because they know she's been in her shoes. she was an oakland police officer but always took the time to help the kids in her community. >> i wanted young people to know that, yes, law enforcement can also be part of your family. so i wanted to be that extended family to them. >> reporter: that's what she has been for willie griffin. willie started running at the oakland p.a.l. track team when he was 4. he says there were times when he was rough on coach dixon. but she never gave up on him. >> always think about the support she gave me the sacrifices she made. i think about the time where, you know, she was telling me to just go home, leave practice. and everything played a part into keeping me on the straight road because she taught my discipline away from home. >> reporter: as a police officer