Photo Credit: Briley Mitchell - Dustdevildiver Photography
They say when you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. Steve Goleman loved what he did, but oh boy did he work a lot.
He definitely took this mantra to heart. Former students tell stories of how he'd be at the school as late as 10 p.m. some nights, not even eating dinner. Goleman worked hard to get his kid's performances acknowledged in the local newspapers. He even wrote article for the Bandera Bulletin to ensure his kids were recognized.
Sadly, on Tuesday October 19, 2022, Coach Goleman passed away from a heart attack, just days after leading his Llano girls to a District 4-3A championship.
Born in 1944, the ways of the world and the youth have changed with each generation. Goleman, being who he was let his teaching and coaching do the talking and he was consistently known for developing youth into young adults.
In 2016, Goleman told the San Antonio Express-News, "I've always felt that you are as young as you think you are. The more you are around young people, the more you are going to be able to connect with young people and stay young in terms of your own outlook on life."
- - -
In a career that spanned over 50 years, the 77-year old coach experienced his fair share of success. His coaching stops included Giddings, Woodsboro, Llano, Bandera, and then back to Llano for the last couple of years.
He won his first championship leading the Woodsboro boys to the 1992 state title track and field championship. Continuing his success, he won the a cross country state title at Llano in 2000, and then his Bandera girls became a UIL 4A powerhouse where they won four consecutive state championships from 2014-2017.
Winning, success, and positive impacts on his student-athletes also brought coaching recognition to Goleman.
He was inducted into the Llano "Jacket for Life" and Hall of Fame, he was the E-N 2014 Coach of the Year, he was named the 2017 UIL Cross Country Coach of the Year, and in 2020 he was the Texas Girls Coaches Association Sub Varsity and Middle School T&F 1A-4A Coach of the Year.
Goleman will always be known as a hall of famer and a living legend. He worked hard doing what he loved in life and we will never forget the impact he had on the communities he touched, the lives he changed and the impact he made on our sport.