During his more than 30 years as a coach, Steve Gillaspie would tell you that he was a much better coach than a wrestler.

He began wrestling in the early 1970s in North Bend, Oregon, instructed by Hall of Fame coaches David Abraham and Fred Lucas.

Gillaspie began coaching at the middle-school level in Medford, Oregon. After watching and then learning how to organize over 90 wrestlers, he landed his first high school teaching/coaching assignment, following a successful interview in the wrestling room, at a 1A school in the Umpqua Valley.

Taking over a program that had experienced previous success, he coached over a dozen state place-winners and led his team to a state championship and a runner-up finish in his three seasons.

He answered the call to move to Alaska in 1991, beginning a 24-year stay that included stops in Barrow, Kotzebue, Nikiski, and Sitka. During his tenure at Kotzebue and Nikiski, noticeable program developments were seen.

Gillaspie was named coach of the year four times while leading his team to five state team titles, a runner-up finish, and multiple Top 10 finishes.

He coached more than 100 state place-winners, including 40 state finalists and 20 state champions.

Gillaspie retired from coaching in 2014 and now lives on a 10-acre hazelnut farm in Junction City, Oregon, with his wife, Bev.