Steve Bender

Profile Updated: January 30, 2024
Steve Bender
Steve Bender

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Yes! Attending Reunion
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Residing In: Buchanan, MI USA
Spouse/Partner: Amy - just celebrated 45 years baby!
Children: Lauren - age 41-Albion grad - Works Memorial hospital -2 grandsons
Shelly - age 40- St. Mary's More…grad - 5th grade teacher in Buchanan and varsity volleyball coach - newborn grandson
Ali - age 38. - Lynn University ( Florida)- SMC-Albion- St. Mary's (5 year plan) - married Nov 23 2012 - lives in Cary,NC - granddaughter + grandsongrandson
Occupation: Retired Boys' Tennis Coach @ South Bend Saint Joseph - 13 years - just retired - 44 years of coaching
What are your favorite memories of NHS?

1. Class prank with the car in the courtyard
2. David Howells announcing during the basketball game that Bill Weaver needed 1 more point to break the school scoring record. The opponents started to face guard Bill, and it took a long time for Bill to get that point. Thanks Abbott
3. Toga party at Battle Creek Lakeview
4. Getting a year ahead in Latin - thanks Klostermann
5. Movement Against Social Hypocricy - still viable today
6. Annual spring riots with Messner & Szot getting chased
7. Egg fights
8. Winning tennis conference defeating Loy Norrix - who went on to win state
8. Conference tennis champions junior year and Loy Norrix won state
8. Benton Harbor post game riot
9. Jack Young - Jerry French getting all the answers behind his back & threatening to kick us out of NHS
10. Barb Keitzer? She secretly liked the guys!!!

Comment
High points of your life since high school?

1. Just celebrated 45 years of marriage
2. State championship in tennis 2003
3. MIAA coach of the year - coaching Saint Mary's girls team (and 2 daughters). A team from our conference (Hope) won the Division 3 national championship that year
4. Albion College Hall of Fame induction 1994 for our 1978 basketball team ( I served as student assistant coach). We finished 3rd in the country.
5. Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame 2011
6. Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame 2012 - 2nd father /son duo in state history
7. Buchanan Athletic Hall of Fame 2013
7. Indiana High School Tennis Coaches hall of Fame 2022
7. 44 years of coaching. Created a program called Bridging-Bonding-Building which I travel around and present. Coolest thing I have ever done in coaching.
8. Taught at Notre Dame for 4 years and was Director of the Coaching Classes Curriculum - no, I did not go over to the dark side - Go Blue!
7.Buchanan High School Hall of Fame 2014
5. Resigned from Buchanan tennis with 200-16-8 record and headed to South Bend St. Joe for a tougher challenge. 244-51 - 13 year record
6. 2 time state tennis coach of the year 1995 & 2002
7. 2010 & 2010 & 2016 & 2018 NIC Coach of the year
8. Holy Cross College women's conference coach of the year 2018
9. Indiana Tennis Coach of the Year 2021

How often do you get back to Niles, MI?

1. Bucktown is 5 miles away baby!
2. My asst coach owns the Rage - formerly HI's
3. Wonderful Wonderlnd Cinema often with grand kids
4. Martin's coffee gossip - 2nd Wednesday of month

Do you still see/talk to/hang out with any classmates? Who?

2. Tom Grathwohl
3. Tim Newsted - Bleacher Bums Baby!
4. Cheryl Frame (Malinowski)
5 Joe Pacquette
6. Craig Worvey
7. Ricky Fouche
8. Billy Weaver - coached with him for many years (miss him dearly)

Did you have any nicknames in school? If so, what were they?

1. Benny- thanks to Newsted!
2. Coach B - working world
3. Albendor - middle school
4. stuffy - elementary school - father implemented that
5. Bensted- math formula put together by Bender & Newsted

What do you like to do in your spare time?

1. work out - but you would never guess it. Fight to stay upright...
2. bet on sports in Vegas - now Blue Chip in Michigan City
3. living my entire life in a women's world
4. COACH
5. Travel to Scotland, Spain, England, France, Ireland
6. Time Share in Delray Beach Florida

If you own your own business, tell us about it and let us know if you have a web-site.

My business was coaching and I loved it. WE is always more important than ME
Due to my coaching i was inducted into five hall of fames
Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame
Michigan Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame
Indiana Tennis Hall of Fame
Albion College Hall of Fame
Buchanan High School Athletics Hall of Fame

Other comments for your classmates:

The Class of 74 has always had immense pride. Looking forward to a potential Orchard Hills 50th reunion. 269-228-2511 (cell)

Enjoy every day

coachb2003@gmail.com
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Steve Bender
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Dec
25
Dec 25, 2024 at 6:19 AM

Posted on: Dec 24, 2024 at 1:39 PM

Happy holidays to the best class at NHS! Wish everyone the best holiday season ever and a healthy 2025

Steve Bender
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Jul
05
Jul 05, 2024 at 4:16 PM

Let’s see your acting skills at the reunion

Steve Bender
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Jul 05, 2024 at 4:10 PM

Get to the reunion

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Jul 05, 2024 at 4:04 PM

Come to the reunion

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Jul 05, 2024 at 3:41 PM

Come to the reunion

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Jul
03
Jul 03, 2024 at 6:04 PM

Come yo reunion

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Jul 03, 2024 at 6:03 PM

Come yo reunion

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Come to reunion

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Jul 03, 2024 at 5:59 PM

Come to reunion! Peters is coming

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Come to reunion

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25
May 25, 2024 at 6:32 AM

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Posted on: Feb 17, 2023 at 10:12 AM

Have a wonderful birthday

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Apr 15, 2021 at 9:52 AM

Happy Medicare birthday

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Jul 30, 2020 at 10:29 AM

So sorry for your loss Margie.  You were his rock and your relationship was special.  Tom was a genuine, selfless person who made me a better person for knowing him.  We have seen too many of our classmates pass recently and maybe this is a wakeup call for reunions every summer.  I too went to church choir.  Mr Ginter saw my talent and I was the official mouther with zero sound coming out.  Tom and Bobby were my wing men.

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Feb 24, 2020 at 1:24 PM

Posted on: Feb 24, 2020 at 10:31 AM

Happy 49th

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Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
Fighting the rays in Mexico.
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
Amy, Ali, and I.
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
OCD to working out.
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
My buddy Joe....(Joe the tequila king)
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
The family. 4/5
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
The Grand Mayan, Nuevo Vallarta.
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
Mom and her baby.
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
Double fisted.
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:13 AM
The love of my life.