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Earlham Experience Influences For Immediate Release: 
Steve Specht '90 led St. Xavier High School to the Division I Ohio state football championship in 2005 and 2007. RICHMOND, Ind. — Successful coaches often steal ideas from others. One could consider Steve Specht a thief in that regard, and he wouldn't care. The 1990 Earlham graduate played football and baseball for the Quakers, and he took several things from his head coach. Current Earlham Athletics Director Frank Carr was Specht's football coach from 1986-89. "One of things Coach Carr always screamed at the beginning of practices was the fact that 'It's a great day to be alive!' I always loved hearing those words and start every one of my practices by asking every senior on the team what kind of day is it," Specht said. "They always respond with 'It's a great day to get a little bit better!' That's a cornerstone of my program that I stole from him." That optimism has been part of two Division I Ohio state football championships in the last three years under Specht's leadership at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati. "I'm really proud of him," Carr said. "I've been impressed with his management of one of the top high school football programs in the nation and his knowledge of the game on both sides of the ball," St. Xavier had three alumni playing in the National Football League this past year and several participating at the collegiate level. Last fall, the Bombers posted a perfect 15-0 season — including a 27-0 win over Mentor in the title game. About Steve Specht
And now Specht has the luxury of comparing two state championship teams. "Winning this year was much different from our title in 2005," he said. "In 2005, we weren't expected to accomplish much. Without the expectations, it made the year much more enjoyable. "This year, we had a tremendous team," Specht continued. "We returned 19 starters from the 2006 team that finished 10-2 and were rated as high as No. 1 in many national polls. Obviously, having a bull's eye on your back all year long is a daunting task for any high school team. I'd also argue that our schedule was as difficult as any in the country. The fact that our kids and coaching staff were able to maintain a focus and single mindedness of purpose to go 15-0 is unbelievable. We all let out a collective sigh of relief as the final seconds clicked off of the clock at the state game." Time at Earlham Specht arrived at Earlham in the fall of 1986 after graduating from St. Xavier. "He was an undersized linebacker who got the most out of his ability," Carr said. The English major was always looking to learn as he prepared for his future. "I've always studied the coaches for whom I've played," he said. "Frank and former Earlham Baseball Coach Doug Welsh were great character studies. Frank was very laid back and more cerebral whereas Doug was intense. I loved playing for both men, but I think my style is a little of both." In his senior year, Specht served as a team captain in football and baseball. "Earlham College was a tremendous experience for me," he said. "I received an education that has enabled me to do what I love in teaching and coaching. I was given an opportunity to continue to play football and baseball at the collegiate level and meet some great people that helped me expand my horizons, and develop friendships that I carry with me today. "Two things Earlham helped me with the most are the ability to communicate successfully with people from just about every walk of life and how to handle adversity in a constructive manner,' Specht added. "It wasn't easy, but I can attribute a lot of my current success to what I learned through my experiences at Earlham College. Looking back, I was always pushed to the next level by every professor I had at Earlham." One of the Earlham experiences that influenced Specht the most was winning the College Athletic Conference baseball championship in 1989. "In order to win in any sport, you have to have talent — but I think chemistry is underrated," Specht said. "I've had some great teams with great players, but I've also coached some great teams with marginal talent that had unbelievable chemistry," he said. "The year we won the championship at Earlham, it was a combination of some great players and some marginal players, but the one constant was that we loved being around one another. I still have a picture from that championship team in my office." Coaching Career After a three-year coaching stint at Lakota High School in Liberty Township, Ohio, Specht returned to his high school alma mater in 1993 as an assistant coach and an English teacher. Named the head coach at St. Xavier in 2004, Specht has posted a 51-3 record in four seasons. He's earned Ohio coach-of-the-year honors twice and received the same award from the Greater Catholic League in each of the past four years. "Steve always had a great passion for St. Xavier," Carr said. "While he was at Earlham, I could see him becoming a successful coach. Now, Steve's future is whatever he wants it to be." — EC — Contact:
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Earlham
College · 801 National Road West · Richmond,
Indiana 47374-4095 |