Best of 2025, The Turnaround – Steve Pyne, Head Coach, Union HS (WA)

On this episode of Best of 2025 of Coach and Coordinator Network, we revisit one of the most impactful conversations from The Turnaround series. The episode featuring high school football coach Steve Pyne. Originally aired in January 2025, this conversation stood out for its experience-driven look at what real program turnarounds actually require.

Across stops at Wilson High School, Ida B. Wells, Central Catholic, and now Union High School, Coach Pyne shares what it takes to rebuild struggling programs from the ground up. Rather than focusing on schemes or shortcuts, he breaks down the importance of accountability, communication, relationships, and disciplined standards, especially when wins don’t come immediately.

Coach Pyne reflects on mistakes from earlier in his career, how his leadership philosophy evolved, and why putting kids first must always come before chasing results. The discussion highlights how setting clear expectations, building trust, and maintaining consistency can transform culture long before it shows up on the scoreboard.

This episode also anchors The Turnaround series, which now powers the Coach and Coordinator AI Turnaround Companion — an applied learning tool built from these conversations to help coaches turn insight into action within their own programs. For any coach stepping into a rebuild or navigating the middle of one, this is a conversation worth revisiting, sharing, and applying piece by piece.

Coach and Coordinator AI – Turnaround Companion

Chapters:

• Why This Episode Became a Best of 2025

• Coach Steve Pyne’s Rebuild Journey

• Taking Over Struggling Programs

• Accountability Over Schemes

• Building Relationships and Trust

• Establishing Mission, Vision, and Standards

• Resetting Culture During Transition

• Learning From Early Leadership Mistakes

• Communication as a Coaching Skill

• Putting Kids First During a Rebuild

• Sustaining Standards Without Immediate Wins

• Modern Rebuilds and AI as a Coaching Companion

  
  

  Connect on X:

  Keith Grabowski: @CoachKGrabowski

  Steve Pyne: @CoachPyne67

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