By Satina Tolman
For The New Era
Steve Thorpe was named the Sweet Home Alumni Foundation’s High Q Award honoree this year for his contributions to the community and to the sport of wrestling.
The Alumni Foundation selects one distinguished Sweet Home High School graduate regularly for the High Q Award of Merit whose life and legacy exemplify the very best of what it means to be from Sweet Home.
Thorpe, a 1986 graduate of Sweet Home High School, has contributed particularly to the sport of wrestling that have earned him accolades at the local, state, and national levels.
But this award, he says, holds a special place in his heart.
“I have been fortunate enough to be honored with many different awards, but this is truly one of my most cherished,” Thorpe said through tears.
The High Q Award of Merit isn’t simply about accolades or professional milestones—it honors individuals whose lives reflect character, leadership, and service.
A Hometown Legacy
While a student at SHHS, Thorpe was student body president and a multi-sport athlete, becoming the first four-time district wrestling champion in school and conference history. He went on to become Sweet Home’s first NCAA Division I varsity wrestler, competing for Oregon State University.
After graduating in 1991 and marrying his high school sweetheart, Heather, Thorpe returned to Sweet Home to teach and coach. Over the next 30 years, he turned the school’s wrestling program into a statewide powerhouse.
His teams claimed seven state championships, 24 state trophies (finishing in the top four), and nine Oregon Wrestling Classic dual state titles, which many consider paramount to winning a state title. With 760 dual meet wins and a conference dual record of 194–4, Thorpe is the winningest coach in Oregon wrestling history.
He also helped usher in the rise of girls’ wrestling in Oregon. Sweet Home’s women’s teams have earned three regional and seven state titles in the past five years.
But Thorpe is quick to deflect praise.
“My success is not just mine,” he said, crediting his faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the support of his wife of nearly 34 years and their three children — Taylor, Natalie and Travis — his parents, Wayne and Jeanie, and a long list of dedicated assistant coaches.
He also recalls advice from his father that became his personal motto: “There will always be someone more talented, stronger, quicker, and better. You can’t control that, but what you can control is how hard you work and what you’re willing to do. Just outwork them.”
That philosophy has become a cornerstone of Thorpe’s coaching and parenting. “My own kids are all very successful,” he said. “And it wasn’t by accident. They worked really hard for it.”
Beyond the Mat
Thorpe’s influence reaches far beyond Sweet Home. Through his work with USA Wrestling, he’s served on national boards, launched Oregon’s longest-running wrestling camp, and led virtual training sessions during the COVID-19 shutdown that gained national attention.
He has been named Conference or Region Coach of the Year 23 times, Oregon Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year eight times, and National Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year six times. He’s also a five-time recipient of the National Federation of State High School Associations Coach of the Year honor and a recipient of USA Wrestling’s President’s Award.
Still, Thorpe insists that wrestling, while significant, isn’t the most important thing in his life.
“My coaching is a ministry,” he said. “The Lord comes first. Then my wife and my family.”
Thorpe’s impact on young athletes is perhaps his most meaningful legacy. In addition to coaching his own children, he has coached 53 individual state champions (43 boys and seven girls), including one four-time champion, four three-time champions, and seven two-time champions. Forty-two of his wrestlers have gone on to compete at the college level.
And many, he says, have found more than just victory through the sport.
“I’ve used wrestling to save lives,” he shared. “You see it when a kid hits that ‘aha’ moment — when all the hard work pays off, and they believe in themselves. That’s the magic.”
A Leader With Purpose
Thorpe’s approach to leadership is simple but profound. He’s known for a phrase he’s repeated so often that he has seen other coaches have started printing it on t-shirts and painting it on their walls: “Success is not an accident, it’s an on-purpose.”
“If you want to be successful, you better have a plan for it,” he said. “You don’t stumble into greatness. You work for it.”
He also believes in learning through failure.
“You grow more from losing than winning,” he said. “I’ve been motivated just as much, maybe more, by the losses.”
Tomas Rosa, a fellow teacher at SHHS, a former wrestler and longtime friend who presented the award at the graduation ceremony, shared the impact Thorpe had on his life.
“Without Thorpe’s guidance and encouragement, I would never have competed in college,” Rosa said. “But his influence goes far beyond wrestling. He officiated my wedding. He’s answered my calls at all hours. He’s been my mentor for 30 years. I’m forever grateful to work with a man of his character.”