Thought for the day: “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
― Edward Everett Hale
4th and Redemption
A Book from Coach Steve Specht about life, resiliency, and the power of embracing adversity
For a signed or personalized copy, contact Coach Specht at steve@coachspecht.com
“I’ve known Steve Specht for over 20 years. I have recruited his players regularly during that time. Every stop at St. Xavier High School resulted in me learning something about family, coaching, and life. Steve’s journey in coaching championship football will give you great insight to what sport can teach us about overcoming adversity, moving forward and winning.”
- David Cutcliffe, Former Head Football Coach at Ole Miss and Duke Universities.
***ACC Coach of the Year 2012
St. Xavier High School is a storied high school football program that was coached by Steve Rasso who was rooted in the nothing is more important than team belief. I coached the defensive backs, and my best player was Steve Specht who had that competitive fire in his belly and had already embraced the nothing is more important than team core belief. Needless to say, we soon became very close and continued our relationship even after I left to coach at The Ohio State University
Steve Specht would go on to become one of the most successful high school coaches at St. Xavier and the State of Ohio. We continued our friendship over the years and had numerous discussions about team values and beliefs and shared the positives and negatives that come with the high expectations of our coaching positions. Today we face the scrutiny and opinions from numerous sources who at times cross the line to create stories. The Gospel of Luke clarifies the life of a coach in verse 12:48, “To Whom much is given, much will be required.”
- Urban Meyer - Former Head Football Coach, Bowling Green, Florida and Ohio State Universities.
***Three-time National Champion.
“I have been fortunate to know Steve Specht for several years through our work with USA Football. I had the good fortune to recently read his book, 4th and Redemption. Coach Specht chronicles a season of which there was much adversity, lessons learned, and what some would say was an unexpected championship. Once you read about the history of St. Xavier HS, Long Blue Line, and the life lessons taught and experienced, you will soon realize that developing young men and creating successful teams are no accident. This book is beneficial for any coach of any sport that wants to be a transformational coach and make a true difference in those that we coach.”
- Tom Wilson, Head Football Coach, Dowling Catholic High School (DesMoines, Iowa)
***Eight-time state champions
About
Coach Steve Specht has been the head coach of the St. Xavier High Bombers varsity football team since 2003. Under Coach Specht, the Bombers have won four Ohio big school championships (2005, 2007, 2016, 2020), with Specht earning Ohio Division I Coach of the Year honors in 2005 and 2007. Specht received the NFL Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award in 2013.
Fourth & Redemption
The 2016 Cincinnati St. Xavier High School Football team’s season was a season like no other. Injuries decimated a talented squad, and misfortune appeared often like few sports teams have ever experienced. Yet the team battled through the season to somehow make the Ohio High School playoffs with a highly mediocre record of 5-5, but mediocre is a matter of perspective. In 4th and Redemption, Coach Steve Specht chronicles the season, league, teams, coaches, and players. The story is not just about one team, but about high school football throughout the country and beyond. The story transcends athletics and focuses on embracing the struggles we all face in order to overcome, rise above, and find a larger purpose.
Get in Touch
Drop Coach Specht an email and he’ll get right back to you.
Special Thanks:
