Lebedz enjoys final meet at West coach
By Eric Taylor
Leader sports editor
After guiding the Bellevue West golf team for the past 18 seasons, Steve Lebedz is going to relax in the clubhouse.
Lebedz retired as an English teacher from West this spring and coached the Thunderbirds for the final time during the Class A State Tournament last week in Lincoln.
“Now, I’m going to have to learn how to relax and I’m not real good at that,” Lebedz said.
A teacher at West for 32 years (he arrived one year after the school opened) Lebedz took over the boys’ golf program in 1993. Prior to coaching golf he was an assistant baseball coach for 13 years and later served nearly a decade as softball assistant.
Lebedz guided five West golf teams to the state tourney and produced several individual qualifiers during his time.
“We’ve had such great loyalty to this program over the years,” Lebedz said. “So many former players had an interest in this team and many of them still play golf together. I guess that’s the biggest tribute to me.”
While he intends to spend time on the golf course this summer, he’s also going to be enjoying his time off at various baseball parks around the Midwest.
“I’m going with my dad to Wrigley Field in June,” Lebedz said. “Neither one of us has been there so we’re really looking forward to it. We’ve also got baseball trips to Minnesota, Colorado and Kansas City planned.”
Lebedz says retirement might not seem real to him until West opens its doors back up for the 2010-11 year.
“I think in August when I don’t have to get ready, that’s when it’s going to hit me,” he said.
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