Coach -

Steve Pyne has built a legacy of program turnarounds and sustained success. He first revitalized Ida B. Wells High School (formerly Wilson High School), taking a struggling 3-16 program and leading them to a 9-1 record and a PIL championship in just four years.

From there, he took over at Central Catholic, where he transformed a strong 10-2 team into a dominant powerhouse over 21 seasons, amassing 195 wins, 14 conference titles, five state championships, and one state runner-up finish.

Now, he's tackling a new challenge at Union High School in Washington, inheriting a 2-17 program and laying the foundation for another turnaround.

Top Coaching Takeaways from Steve Pyne on The Turnaround Series presented by CoachTube on the Coach and Coordinator Network.

Coach Steve Pyne has built winning programs from the ground up. His journey is filled with valuable lessons for any coach looking to transform a team, build a winning culture, and develop resilient players. Here are the biggest takeaways from this episode:

1. Put Kids First, Winning Second

When Pyne changed his focus from winning at all costs to prioritizing relationships and player growth, his teams started performing at a championship level.

"The first 14 years, it was all about winning. But when I put kids first, everything changed."

2. Sell Your Vision & Stick to It

Be a program prophet—paint a clear picture of what success looks like, and keep everyone aligned with that vision.

Players, parents, and administration need to see you’re working toward something bigger.

"You have to put your vision out there. If you waiver, everyone else waivers."

3. Winning Starts in the Classroom

Pyne inherited a program where 50 players had D’s or F’s. He implemented study halls, accountability measures, and communication expectations—and the results showed up both academically and on the field.

"You can’t be great on Friday night if you aren’t handling business Monday through Friday."

4. The Pain of Retention is Worse than the Pain of Removal

Keeping the wrong players or coaches in your program can destroy culture and momentum. 

If they don’t align with your standards, it’s better to move on.

"The pain of removing someone is temporary. The pain of keeping them when they don’t fit can kill your program."

5. Mental Toughness is Built, Not Inherited

Union players struggled with adversity—when things went wrong, they expected to lose. 

Pyne focused on changing the mindset by building accountability, energy, and preparation into the offseason.

"If you can be an asset and not an a-hole, you’re going to be successful. It may not show in wins yet, but it will."

6. Know Your Players & Adapt Your Approach

Some players respond to tough coaching, others need quiet guidance—great coaches adjust.

Relationships matter. Check in, understand their challenges, and coach the whole person.

"You better know your kid. If you don’t, you’re just guessing at what they need."

7. Culture is a Daily Investment

Pyne learned the hard way—when he stopped focusing on leadership development, his program took a step back.

Now, he never assumes culture will sustain itself—it must be reinforced daily.

"I got complacent. I thought they had it figured out. But every team is different, and leadership must be built every year."

🎧 Listen to the full episode and the entire series of The Turnaround presented by CoachTube for even more insights! 

Apple: The Journey of Rebuilding a Program

Spotify: The Journey of Rebuilding a Program

Engineer Your Program Turnaround

CoachTube has the resources for your turnaround and to help you take your program to the next level!

Always be growing!

P.S.

Our State Champions Symposium begins next week and not only is it a huge value, it’s full of insight from over 216 state champions in a unique clinic format.

It is an 8-week event on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings for 2 hours and 15 minutes each night. 

It has tracks for offense, defense, special teams, program development, and player development delivered by 2024 state champions nationwide.

The Format:

📅 8 Weeks | 3 Nights Per Week | 3 Hours Per Night

🔹 Offense Track – Schemes, techniques, and strategy 

🔹 Defense Track – Scheme, techniques, and shutdown strategy

🔹 Rotating Track: 

• Program Development – Culture, leadership, and team building
• Special Teams – Innovative strategies for game-changing plays
• Player Development – Strength, speed, skills, and football IQ

Session Structure:

✅ Three 30-Minute Presentations – Insights from Championship coaches (no fluff - we get right into it)

✅ 45-Minute Roundtable – In-depth discussion, analysis, and Q&A with the night’s state champions focused on the night’s theme.

Tickets start at $49.

Stay tuned for registration information.