Bolivar Middle School Dedicates Gym to Coach Steve Young {video}

There are not many people who live their life and leave a legacy that positively impacts so many as did Mr. Steve Young or as he was better known, Coach Young. The depth of that impact was shown on Monday, November 21, 2022, when the Bolivar Middle School (BMS) gym was dedicated to Coach Steve Young and named the Steve Young Memorial Gymnasium.

It has been more than eight years since Coach Young’s untimely death on April 7, 2014, and his legacy is still solid and strong with many people in Hardeman County. Coach Young was a husband, father, grandfather, coach, mentor, and anyone you wanted him to be if you needed help.

“I know that he impacted so many people because I still see the effects of him being in this world. He was the most influential person I knew,” said his son, Joe Young. “His legacy will go on and I only hope to have the same impact on the world as he did.”

Joe and his family joined his mother, Connie who was married to Steve for 43 years, and his sister, Mary Elizabeth Anderson, and her family along with extended family, and several close friends at the gym for the commemorative ceremony.

“It means a lot to my family and me that the community was so impacted by my dad and they thought of him so much to dedicate the BMS gym in his memory,” said Joe.

BMS Principal Brian Mays introduced the Young family and shared some words about the impact Coach Young had on his life.

“Coach Young was a big mentor in my life. He trained me when I was here as a student and all throughout my high school career, and college. I got to know his family very well,” said Mays affectionately. “I also have the honor of having the job that he had when he was at Bolivar Middle School.”

Coach Young worked in education for 36 years. He was a teacher and football coach at BMS for 14 years, BMS principal for 16 years, and the last six years were spent as Assistant Superintendent for the Hardeman County Schools. Young also served as a Hardeman County Commissioner for more than 28 years.

Connie thanked everyone for recognizing her husband and the dedication of the gym. She shared it was in the same BMS gym where Coach Young was playing basketball, fell, was taken to the hospital, and later died. He was playing a sport he loved in a gym where he had spent so much of his life.

“Steve just loved this community and I want to thank everyone who is in education for what you do for the community, and for our young people. Our young people are very special, and I know Steve is in heaven right now and I am sure he is seeing wonderful things in heaven,” said Connie. “I think he would want me to say to God be the glory in all this. He wouldn’t want the glory. Steve would want God to get the glory.”

Mays also shared about Coach Young’s love of God.

“He was going to make sure you had a relationship with Jesus Christ and wanted to help you make positive decisions in your life,” said Mays. “I would have rather presented this honor to him, but presenting it to his family means the world to me.”

Longtime friend of Coach Young, Dr. Thomas Polk, also spoke during the ceremony. Young and Polk worked together for more than 20 years. Polk, who described Young as “the best friend I ever had” was the assistant principal at BMS when Coach Young was the principal. Both men were responsible for the hiring of Mays at BMS.

“When you saw one of us, you saw the other. We saw each other seven days a week. When we were not at school, we were on the golf course. When we weren’t on the golf course, we were at his house eating,” said Polk. “I’ve got a special seat at his house right now. In fact, I still have a key to his house.”

Polk continued sharing about the close relationship he had with Young.

“Steve was my friend. Steve was my buddy. Steve was better to me than a brother,” said Polk who affectionately referred to Young’s family as his own.

Joe had the unique opportunity to experience Coach Young as a father. “The fondest memories I have of dad, pages couldn’t hold the words. It would probably take a book to capture all the great times I had with my dad,” said Joe. “He taught me so much in words and deeds. I will forever be impacted by his example, and I hope to pass on the same to my children and hopefully grandchildren. I miss him so much.”

Joe also experienced his father in an academic setting and on the football field.

“My dad was vice-principal at Bolivar Middle School when my sister and I went there. I played football while dad was the head football coach,” said Joe. “When my little brother, David, came through, my dad was already working at the board of education.”

Coach Young’s involvement in education, and positive impact and love of the youth in the community did not stop when the doors closed at the end of the school day or for summer break.

“BMS and the Bolivar community meant a great deal to dad. Not only was he a teacher, coach, principal, and in administration, he also ran the recreation department during the summers for a long time,” said Joe. Coach Young’s legacy continues to make a mark in Hardeman County. With the dedication of the gym in his honor and the stories of Coach Young that people still tell, he will touch more lives and not be forgotten.

“Coach Young was a role model and mentor. . . He was a great one,” said Mays.

“I will always be grateful for this night and to the ones who made it all possible,” said Joe.

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