Alpe was born in 1940 in Lake Village to Andrew and Stella Alpe. He at-tended all 12 years at Lake Village Schools. A 1958 graduate, Alpe was a captain for Lake Village’s undefeated football team earning All-State and All-District honors while being selected to play in the AHSCA All-Star football game. As a senior halfback, Alpe accounted for 39 touchdowns. He also earned All-District honors as a junior and benefited playing for the legendary Coach Lamar Dingler.

Alpe was a four-year starter for Southern State (Southern Arkansas University), where he earned All-AIC recognition in 1959,1960 and 1961 as a running back for Coach Auburn Smith. Alpe was inducted into Southern Arkansas University’s Hall of Fame in 2013.

After graduating with a B.S. in Education, Alpe began his coaching career under Mike Malham, Sr. at Catholic High in Little Rock, where he also taught math. Alpe was a coach and teacher for three years, before moving to Helena for one year as an assistant football coach.

In 1966, Alpe was hired by Malvern High School as its head football coach and athletic director. Aple routinely credited the support from the community, his assistant coaches and players for Malvern’s success throughout his 36 years of dedicated service as AD and head football coach at Malvern.

His football teams won 16 conference championships, participated in 16 playoffs advanced to the state semi-finals four times and won the 1993 State Championship. His overall record was 239-142-5. He was voted District Coach of the Year eight times and was the 1994 Lowell Manning Award recipient as the state’s Outstanding Coach among all sports for the 1993-1994 school year. He was on the AHSCA All-Star coaching staff five times and served as head coach in 1990. Seven of his former players had careers in the NFL. After being nominated by a former player, NFL great Keith Traylor, Alpe was a finalist for the NFL’s Outstanding High School Coach of the Year award in 2003 and 2005. Alpe also received the coveted AHSCA Curt King Award in 2007.

Alpe was inducted in the inaugural class of the Malvern Leopard Wall of Honor (2010). A 2005 inductee into the AHSCA Hall of Fame, Alpe was responsible for implementing the girls athletic programs at Malvern, initially with no increases in staffing. As athletic director at Malvern, Alpe built a program that was self-sufficient and operated its budget for the following year based upon revenue from the preceding year with no additional funding from the district. Malvern won seven state championships within football, track, baseball, and basketball during Alpe’s tenure as AD. Alpe was named Athletic Director of the Year by the AHSAAA in both 1986-1987 and 1992-1993.

Alpe resigned as Malvern’s AD and head football coach in 2002 after 36 years. He remained as the Director of Transportation and Custodians before retiring in 2005 after 43 years of service to Arkansas high schools including 40 as a coach. Alpe, has been married to his wife, Mary Jane since 1965, a retired teacher who served in Arkansas for 33 years. They have three sons, who all played for David at Malvern High School. Bruce and his wife, Lisa have three children, Andrew, Austin and Alexandra. Doug has two daughters, Avery and Ella. Brad and his wife, Megan have a daughter Marianne. David is an active member of Malvern’s St. John’s Catholic Church and enjoys fishing, hunting and spending time with family and friends.