From athletic fields to classrooms, Steve Maier ’67 spent his career in service to youngsters. While at SHS Steve excelled in football, basketball and track. In football he was named first team All-NOL. In basketball he led the NOL in scoring. In track he set a school record in hurdles. Steve also received the Senior S Athletic Award.
A football scholarship took Steve to Flagstaff, Arizona and Northern Arizona University where he earned a bachelor’s degree and received All-America mention as a wide receiver. At the end of his 1971 senior year, he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 6th round as the 155th out of 442 players to enter the NFL. Following graduation from NAU, Steve served in the Army in Vietnam. He then returned to Northern Arizona where he earned a master’s degree.
In the summer of 1974 Steve received a call from Coach John Symank, his former coach at NAU, who was an assistant coach for the New York Giants, to come and play in the 1974 pre-season, due to the NFL player strike. Steve then returned to coaching at NAU. Next he joined East Flagstaff Junior High School where he taught for 28 years. For three years he was head football coach at Coconino High School where his team won a state title. He resigned to have more time to spend with his own children. He continued coaching basketball, football and baseball at the middle school and high school levels for most of the 28 years he taught.
Steve has been married for 43 years, has 2 children and 7 grandchildren. He retired from teaching in 2004. He now works for the joy of working with the soil, growing fruit, selling it and donating much of it to others. Says a fellow alum, “Steve exemplifies the values of faith, family and country that he learned growing up in Shelby.” He lives in Arizona.
Nominator: George Wilcox ’67.