Singiser to step down as track and field coach at end of season to spend time with family

Friday, April 30, 2010

By Matt Wah
Staff Writer

After 15 years of coaching Mira Costa’s track and field team, Steve Singiser will step down as coach at the end of the season. During his tenure, Costa has won the Bay League title three of the last four years in both boys and girls track.

Singiser said that the long hours of the job stood in the way of spending important time with his family.

“There’s no doubt that I will miss this position. When I see everyone working out on the track next season, I will most definitely miss it. In fact, I miss it already. The thing is, I miss seeing my little boy’s baseball games more,” Singiser said.

Next year, Singiser will continue to teach in Costa’s Social Science Department, as he has for the past 13 years.

“I love to see the kids in a whole different way than in the classroom. Outside, I’m very competitive and I like situations where there are winners and losers,” Singiser said.

Many track and field athletes were disappointed to hear that he was stepping down as coach at the end of the season.

“I’m pretty bummed that Singiser is leaving. I was hoping to have him there my senior year at the finish line with his camera. He is a great coach and loved what he did,” junior sprinter Joe McMahon said.

With Singiser resigning, current girls coach Renée Williams-Smith will become head coach for the next season. Singiser said he is not worried for the team.

“Essentially, we were both head coaches to begin with. Many other schools split the job between a head and assistant coach, but we did not. Our coaching staff is so good that you could put a wild animal in there and it would be under control,” Singiser said.

Although Singiser will be missing from the track and field, Singiser says the memories of his 15 years at Costa with the team will not be forgotten.

“It really is hard to limit it to one thing. I can recall so many broken school records. More specifically,

my favorite memory was the Costa vs. Redondo meet. We won seven out of our eight relays. Being on home turf and smoking everybody is an unforgettable feeling,” Singiser said.