By ANDREW GILL
TopSports.news
Transitioning from teacher and coach to athletic director at a high school with more than 1,200 students presents a sizeable challenge in and of itself.
Factor in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenge of leading 22 sports programs becomes that much greater.
In the wake of the craziness brought by the year 2020, Steve Bushnell received a uniform response to the announcement that he was to take over as Seaman High School’s athletic director: 'What a terrible year to become an administrator.' But that’s not how Bushnell sees it.
“The way I look at it is maybe it was a blessing. Maybe I’m in this position because I can handle these challenges and I’m not going to shy away from the leadership we need in order for us to get through these trying times,” Bushnell said.
Steve Bushnell is in his first year as Seaman's athletic director after coaching the Vikings to nine state baseball titles. [Seaman Schools]
Bushnell taught and coached in the Seaman district for 29 years before becoming athletic director after the retirement of longtime Viking A.D. Brad Dietz following the 2019-20 school years. In his 22 seasons as head baseball coach, he won an astonishing nine Class 5A state championships.
After his promotion was announced in early 2020, his senior-loaded squad looked poised to defend their 2019 title and end Bushnell’s coaching career with a second career three-peat.
“Obviously nothing is guaranteed but coming off back-to-back titles in ’18 and ’19 and having a group back that we felt would’ve been right there at the end if everything went right… it would’ve been a fairytale ending to the whole thing,'' Bushnell said.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 put an end to the spring sports season and the Vikings never got to compete.
More than missing out on one last chance to coach, Bushnell was disappointed for his seniors.
“We got through five days of tryouts when the pandemic set in and we got word that there would be no spring season,” Bushnell said. “I was blessed to be a part of that baseball program for 27 years. I experienced some pretty high highs along that journey. To see the opportunity taken away from that particular group of seniors… it was extremely difficult to finish that way.”
It wasn’t easy for Bushnell to leave coaching behind, but he was ready for something new.
“To make the transition into administration was by far the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in 30 years as an educator,” Bushnell said. “Ultimately, I made the decision that it was time for a change and made the jump.”
He believes all that time teaching and coaching helped prepare him for his responsibilities as athletic director – most of them at least.
After being a physical education teacher and coaching sports year-round for nearly three decades, Bushnell wasn’t prepared for the amount of time spent sitting and doing paperwork.
“When you leave high school and go to college, they warn you about the freshman 15. I’m worried about the administrator 15,” he joked.
Another big change has been longer workdays. Bushnell spends upwards of 15 hours working some days, but he’s not complaining.
“That’s what it takes for me to be successful in leading this program the right way,'' he said.
He noted Seaman’s athletics department found great success under his predecessor, but added there’s always room for improvement.
“I think we always want to get better, to continue to have a higher expectation. Our success isn’t going to be determined by the number of state championships we win, but by that expectation. It’s a byproduct of an every-day approach, a culture you build within a program,” Bushnell said.
Setting up his student-athletes for success is Bushnell’s No. 1 priority. He believes providing opportunities to improve minimizes obstacles to success.
Humility and discipline appear to be the core principles that guided his coaching philosophy.
“A lot of times you hear complaints about what people don’t have,'' Bushnell said. "I think we need to be more appreciative of what we do have. If we can ensure our athletes appreciate what we provide for them, it takes away any excuses for them to not be successful.”
It’s a philosophy he hopes will continue to breed success in his new role.
Even with all of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bushnell wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I wouldn’t change anything that I’ve experienced here in my first six months as athletic director at Seaman High School. It’s a great position. There aren’t too many people who get to be in this role,” he said. “As daunting as it is, I feel like we just have to keep pushing. We’ll find a way to get through it. We’ll focus on the positives and not so much the negatives. We will get through it.”
