Princeton’s Steve Amy grew up in a teaching/coach house

Steve Amy knew he wanted to be a coach one day, growing up in a house with a father who was a multi-sport coach and teacher.

He just didn’t know he wanted to teach.

“(My dad’s) the reason I wanted to coach. Didn’t want to necessarily teach, but that was the best route to get into coaching,” he said. “Once I started teaching, it was a lot of fun. We have great kids here. Makes it easy.”

Amy has taught physical education at Princeton High School since the 2008-09 school year, along with serving as the head wrestling coach. He previously was an assistant football coach.

Athletics teach you no matter what, you have to get back up, got to go again. If you fail, you pick yourself up and just keep going and keep learning and keep working for the next thing.”

—  Steve Amy, Princeton High School PE teacher

He learned all about the trade from his late father, Rick, a Hall of Fame coach at Rockridge High School, known best for his state championship football and wrestling teams, but also serving as their first softball coach.

“You’re exposed to a lot of different stuff. Especially when it comes to sports stuff. Because you’re not in the classroom with them every day,” he said. “You get to see the expectations that are there. See kids fail and build them back up, and become successful after that. Accountability and grit, you learn at a real young age.”

Amy said his father, who passed away on Dec. 3, 2021, at age 67, was excited to see him get into teaching and coaching and offered some advice.

“He said be ready for long hours, but I already knew that being stuck at school with him forever and ever on end,” Amy said. “We’d go home, and the only thing on TV is game film or matches that we’re rewatching. I kind of knew what to expect.

“He was proud. He was proud of all of us (including brothers Keith and Kevin). Didn’t matter what we were going to do as long as you showed up and did your best and worked hard.”

Amy excelled at Rockridge for his dad’s teams. He won three state wrestling championships and was recognized as an All-State running back in football.

The PHS coach said he had a lot of fun playing for his dad’s teams and hopes to share similar moments with his young son, Hawk, who was an IESA sectional champion for Logan Junior High School this year.

“Nothing like walking in that Grand March (state finals) and doing it with your dad is pretty special. Hopefully, I get to experience that (with Hawk), but you never know,” he said. “It would mean a lot. He works hard every day, but you never know what’s going to happen. He works hard enough to put himself in that situation, so hopefully one day and we’ll take it.”

There are plenty of life lessons learned playing sports, Amy said, that apply to teaching and coaching.

“Athletics teach you no matter what, you have to get back up, got to go again. If you fail, you pick yourself up and just keep going and keep learning and keep working for the next thing,” he said. “It’s no different (teaching). You might stay up too late, being at a tournament or a dual meet the night before, and you’re tired and you don’t want to go or not feeling well. You get up and still go. That’s the stuff that taught me. Even if you don’t want to do it, you show up and do your best.”

Two PHS athletes, Cade Odell and Casey Etheridge, both state wrestling medalists, said Amy has had a huge impact on their lives.

“He is a great motivator and is just super friendly and nice all the time,” Odell said. “Whether you are in season or out of season, he is always checking up on you and talking to you about whatever sport you are in.

“Coach Amy always pushes us for more and strives to better us every day. He is very passionate about what he does,” Etheridge said. “I wouldn’t be where I am in wrestling and other aspects or sports and life without Coach Amy.”

In addition to his dad, Amy’s grandparents on his mom’s side, Bob and Donna Jackson, were also teachers. Bob was the basketball coach and AD at Sherrard High School and has the small gym named after him.

There’s been no surprises over his teaching career, Amy said, because he grew up in it and “had everything thrown at you.”

Amy figures he has the best of both worlds. He gets to coach wrestling, which is his ultimate passion, and wear sweats during school days to teach PE.

“Yeah, I get to be comfortable all day,” he said. “I’m ready for practice as soon as I get here in the morning. It’s great. I get to play games with kids if I want. It’s a lot of fun.”

He’s often the subject to follow by students on “dress like your favorite teacher day” at school.

“Why wouldn’t you? I don’t know why the teachers who dress up every day wouldn’t want to. Get to be comfortable all day long,” he said with a smile.