Steve Peters, history, director of athletics

B.A. U.C. Santa Cruz

Steve began his relationship with York School in 1986 as a Cross-Country Coach hired by beloved Headmaster and History Professor Henry Littlefield. Steve was at the time a local business owner who had been recruited to coach by former York Chemistry teacher Peter Keiffer. Steve was amazed by the intellectual curiosity of the students and faculty and the wonderful classical liberal environment of the school and its culture. Students, faculty, and parents at York all celebrated the life of the mind and intellectual discourse, while treating each other with honesty, courtesy, and respect.

Steve returned to college after many years of autodidactic pursuits, and many jobs; construction worker, plumber, baker, banker, tungsten miner, and small business owner. This diverse background, coupled with years of college courses on theology, philosophy, law, anatomy and physiology, political science, economics, and (naturally) history, made Steve an ideal mentor and teacher for the students of York School. Steve became a member of the York teaching faculty in 1994 and has evolved from teaching traditional history courses to new electives such as Economics and A.P. Government and Politics.

Steve has a been a vital member of the York community since 1986 and has led his Cross-Country teams to six CCS Championships, six second place CCS finishes, and had eight individual CCS champions. Steve additionally coached two individual Track CCS champions in the metric mile and high jump, with the high jumper winning the CIF California state championship meet in 1999. Steve assumed the role of Director of Athletics in 2004, and is now hard at work expanding the scope and breath of the York athletic program.

Steve enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities, watching Frontline, American Experience, CSPAN and BookTV, reading good books, riding his motorcycle, watching films, engaging in spirited and thoughtful conversations, and being an integral part of an academic community. As Steve always says, “any day above ground is a good one” and “what can we learn today!”