Salem Community High School’s retiring athletic director Scott Steward remained retired for only a few hours before being named the new Athletic Director at Kaskaskia College Thursday night.
Steward was lauded by administrators and coaches for his 34 years at SCHS, the last 27 as Athletic Director, during a retirement breakfast Monday morning.
Principal and former coach John Boles said he was at the school as a result of Steward approaching him at SIU-Carbondale.
“Scott Steward is probably the best ambassador of Salem High School I’ve ever met. Whether it’s academic or athletics, I’ve never met a person that goes out of their way to make a total stranger feel welcome. People will walk in the SIT he’s never met before, welcome to Salem High we are glad you are here. We would go on the road and he would thank people for having us.”
Superintendent Brad Detering said he is probably still at SCHS today due to the friendship of Steward when he first arrived at the school as a single 22-year-old coach and was treated like family.
“I learned how to be a coach. I learned how to be a man. I learned how to be a father by watching Scott Steward.”
Detering noted the most valuable player award at the Salem Invitational Basketball Tournament is now named for Steward for his years of work on the yearly event.
Other coaches complimented Steward on his mentoring and patience. Several noted how he would pay for a student’s lunch out of his own pocket or have ice cream added to his tab for their birthdays.
Steward noted when he first came to Salem he had never heard of the high school and had plans to move on to college coaching, but when those opportunities came he turned them down because Salem had become home. He also commended the teaching staff for the amazing job they did in teaching his three children. Steward said he is not going anywhere.
“I can’t stay away from Salem High School, I love Salem High School. There are going to be football games here on Friday nights, I’ll be here. There’s going to be SIT’s I’m going to be here in the middle of all that stuff. People say good luck I’ll see you sometime, I say no you’ll see me right here at Salem High School. And my best friends in the world are right here. I have to wait for them to retire before I get completely retired.”
And Steward had his “retirement” job in place by Monday night when he was employed as the new Athletic Director at Kaskaskia College.
