Popular Pasco coach still with a ‘message to give’ kids after 40 years is stepping down

High school volleyball coach Jim Steach has always liked to win.

The Richland High School graduate had winning instilled in him during his teenage years.

But age and maturity sometimes can mellow a person out.

“Early on, I loved the competition,” said Steach. “The last few years, it was more just spending time in the gym and getting better as a group.”

Don’t misinterpret that.

Steach — who had actually considered becoming a youth minister early in his post-college career — still likes to win.

As a long-time high school volleyball coach, the 65-year-old Steach has invested a lot into his programs — first at Pasco High, and then at Chiawana High. Forty years.

At the end of this season — last month — Steach announced his retirement as head volleyball coach.

It’s time, said Steach.

Forty years is a long time to do anything.

“I turn 65 in a month,” said Steach in early November. “I stayed so long because my wife said I still had a message to give the kids.”

In all, Steach estimates that he’s coached over 500 kids.

On the night of Chiawana’s final home game, on Oct. 29, at least 55 former and current players came out to honor Steach.

“He has a connection with his players,” said John Cazier, Chiawana’s athletic director. “Some of those players who showed up that night, they played for him 30 years ago. They were my high school classmates.”

Team builder

Steach, said Cazier, is an athletic director’s dream come true.

“I have had to concern myself very little the last 15 years with his program,” said Cazier. “It’s 100 percent for him about volleyball. He loves volleyball. But his primary focus is educational first. He’s about team building.”

In his 40 years as a volleyball coach, Steach spent 23 years at Pasco High. When Chiawana opened in 2009, he moved over to the new school and spent the next 16 seasons with the Riverhawks.

His first year was 1985 as the junior varsity coach at Pasco High.

The year before that, Steach taught at River View High School. It was his first year as a teacher.

“Then a math teacher position opened up at Pasco High,” said Steach. “I remember (Pasco principal) Ray Reynolds saying, ‘We hired a math teacher who is a coach.’”

Pasco athletic director Anne Hayden Ray asked Steach to coach the JV team.

“That next summer I went off to EWU (Eastern Washington University) to work on my masters,” said Steach. “I came back the next year and (Hayden Ray) asked me if I wanted to be the head coach. I assured her I could be the idiot in charge.”

Hayden Ray said it was a no-brained decision for her.

“He was so enthusiastic about the game,” said Hayden Ray. “He was always talking to people about the game. He had that get-up-and-go attitude. The girls on the team all liked him. He was just a great hire.”

Steach immersed himself in volleyball, learning everything he could about the sport.

“I went to EWU for a volleyball class that (former EWU coach) Pam Parks ran. I started seeking out clinics and camps to attend,” said Steach. “You know, volleyball is interesting. As a math teacher, it’s about angles.”

Winning record

In his first two seasons at Pasco, the Bulldogs placed sixth in the Big Nine Conference regular-season standings.

But in season 3, Pasco was conference champion. Same the next year, 1989.

His first state appearance came in 1991.

The next year, the Bulldogs went 25-2 and placed second at the state tournament.

In all, Steach’s teams had a 603-426 overall record, went 326-150 in conference play, had 10 conference titles, 4 district titles, 7 state tournament appearances, and 3 state trophies.

Asked who his best teams were, Steach said two of his teams that went to the state tourney.

“That 1992 team at Pasco, we had Deanna Sporcich and just a great group of kids (and placed second),” said Steach. “The 2018 Chiawana team went to state (and placed eighth). They never quit. It was a great team. There were so many good kids who worked hard.”

On varsity, Steach estimates he’s had 500 players on his teams.

“The relationships with the kids. That’s what I’ll remember,” he said. “I feel like I’ve made a difference in their lives.”

Volleyball changes

And the game has changed in 40 years.

“Now, it’s more of an explosive, high-flying game at the varsity level,” said Steach. “What I love about volleyball is that the clock never runs out. The level of play over the years has changed. In earlier days some people ran quick offenses. That’s become more common place.”

The change to rally scoring and other rules changes were big too.

Steach says he’s been pretty lucky.

“One thing from the beginning was I was really blessed where I started,” he said. “One change when I started was Anne Hayden was the athletic director, and she made our sport a priority. If the AD doesn’t get set up for you, you’ve got problems.”

Now, Steach has plans.

“I’ve never had a chance with traveling in the fall and spring,” he said. “I want to go to New England and see the leaves changes colors. The East in the fall is great. I’ve also got a grandkid coming soon.”

Cazier says the timeline to hire Steach’s replacement will come in February.

The Riverhawks AD is going to miss his coach.

“I’m disappointed he’s leaving,” said Cazier. “But he has an opportunity to move forward. He owes nothing to Chiawana. He’s given a lot of himself to us.”

There are things Steach is going to miss.

“I’m gonna miss the interactions with the kids,” he said. “I’m not gonna miss making practice plans. But I will miss the time with the kids. Also having a good group of coaches to work with was a blessing.

“I’ll miss the excitement of game night.”

But it’s the interaction with the kids that he’ll miss most.

“I never walked out of a practice where I felt the kids ever had a bad practice,” he said.

Youth minister or teacher/coach: Jim Steach would have had a big impact either way.