Steve Clapp to 'replace' Jim Steinke as McCook High girls track coach

Steve Clapp said he won't try to "fill the shoes" of Jim Steinke, who is retiring after 31 years of coaching in the McCook school system.

Most of Steinke's tenure was spent as the McCook High School girls track coach, and Clapp was his main assistant for 25 years.

Clapp was hired Tuesday to "replace" Steinke, who will guide eight members of the Bison girls squad at the Nebraska State Track and Field Championships, which take place Thursday through Saturday at Omaha Burke High School.

"Jim is not going to be replaceable," said Clapp, who has served as assistant track coach at McCook since 1978.

Before coming to McCook, he served as head track coach at Beaver City (1975-77) and Cozad (1977-78).

"We're not going to make a lot of changes. I'm going to stay in my areas (sprinters, vertical jumps and 400 relay). We'll have to hire someone to help out with long distance events. We'll still be successful.

McCook athletic director Rick Haney said that Clapp was an easy choice for the position.

"Any time you have a quality person in-house, you can't go wrong," Haney said. "Steve's a very viable choice."

Steinke said the transition should be smooth and seamless.

"I've surrounded myself with good coaches," Steinke said. "We seem to share the same philosophy in that the kids are important. Steve and I have been so close since 1978 when he started here.

"We've shared all the decisions and all the victories. I think he'll maintain the program."

Clapp took over the head coaching duties for four meets while Steinke was recovering from stomach surgery.

"The coaches maintained the program in my absence," Steinke said. "The success we've had largely comes from the assistant coaches."

Steinke, Clapp and assistant coaches -- as well as the athletes -- have built a successful program in the past 25 years.

The credentials:

* Nebraska Grand Champions 1989.

* State champions 1981-86-87-88.

* Second place at state 1985-89.

* Third place at state 1980-82-83-90.

* Fourth place at state 2002.

* District champions 1976-80-81-82-86-87-88-89-90-99-2000.

* Second place at district 1979-97-2001-02-03.

* Third place at district 1994-95-98.

* Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference champions 1988-89-90.

Steinke was nominated for consideration as National Track Coach of the Year.

He has reached the Nebraska Coaches Association Level IV milestone -- the highest level a coach can achieve.

Steinke also coached a girls state champion in cross country.

During his 25-year stint as assistant coach, Clapp has guided 23 4x100-meter relay teams to the state meet, including the last 20 in a row. One of his relay teams won a state title and five finished second.

He has coached five 100-meter state champions, five 200-meter state champions, one 400-meter state champion, six long jump state champions and three long jump grand champions.

Clapp also helped coach Valerie Owen to the TAC National Indoor triple jump championship in the late 80s.

In 1988, Clapp attended the National Junior Elite Track Training Camp in Colorado Springs.

Clapp has also coached YMCA youth softball, basketball and volleyball teams.

In addition to track, Clapp served as head volleyball coach at Beaver City 1975-77, eighth grade volleyball coach at Cozad 1977-78, assistant volleyball coach at McCook 1978-84 and ninth grade volleyball coach at McCook 1984-90.

He refereed volleyball matches from 1990-2000.

Clapp was the eighth grade boys basketball coach at Beaver City from 1975-77. He has served as the McCook eighth grade girls basketball coach since 1991.