Born in Bolivia and raised in Costa Rica, Steve Gay’s journey to Ben Lippen began when his missionary parents sought a school in the U.S. that would prepare him for college. They chose Ben Lippen in Asheville, NC, where he started in 9th grade, and it turned out to be the beginning of something extraordinary.

Steve quickly made his mark as a standout four-sport athlete, playing baseball (under Coach Bob Weeber), basketball, track, and soccer (with Coach Hathaway). He earned four varsity letters and was named Best Athlete his senior year. Known for his goal-scoring ability, he set the team record for most goals, later broken by his younger brother Lloyd. At the time, Ben Lippen’s soccer team was so strong that they regularly played and beat junior colleges like Columbia Bible College (now CIU), Brevard, and King’s College.

One memorable highlight occurred during his junior year, when he was asked to run the mile at the state track championship; without any formal training, he earned a third-place medal.

Steve fondly remembers his teachers and coaches, not just in the classroom or on the field, but fishing and hunting with them as well. He credits Coach Hathaway with building a competitive soccer program, even before Ben Lippen had a home field. By his junior year, the team had a field on the Ben Lippen grounds, which was laid in part by the players themselves.

After graduating in 1965, Steve attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where he continued his dominance on the soccer field. From 1966 to 1969, he was a standout forward, scoring 88 goals and tallying 203 career points, including a record-setting 80 points in 1968. He was a Third Team All-American in 1968, inducted into the NAIA Soccer Hall of Fame in 1977, and the Westmont Hall of Fame in 1995.

The Road to the Olympics

Steve’s journey to the 1972 U.S. Olympic Soccer Team began shortly after college. His Westmont coach encouraged him to try out for a semipro team in Southern California. He was one of 20 players selected to represent the region, eventually advancing through several rounds of competition against other regional teams. From there, he earned a spot on a national roster that competed at Southern Illinois University in a round-robin tournament featuring teams from across the country. His strong performances led to selection for the Pan American Games in Colombia, followed by a series of exhibition games against professional teams in Miami. These two years of elite training and competition paved the way for Steve’s selection to the final Olympic squad.

On July 25, 1971, he scored a hat trick in a 3–0 win over Bermuda, helping the U.S. qualify for the 1972 Munich Olympics, the first U.S. men’s team to do so in an international soccer competition. Steve played in the team’s second and third matches, facing Malaysia and powerhouse West Germany. Though the U.S. didn’t advance out of group play, it was a historic milestone.

As if ‘72 wasn’t a big enough year already, he also coached at Westmont, leading the team to an NAIA national championship.

From 1975 to 1979, Steve served as Head Coach at UCLA, compiling a 72–34–10 record and becoming a highly respected leader in U.S. soccer. He co-founded the Arizona Soccer Camp, helped coach national teams, and served as an assistant coach on another Olympic squad. In 1984, he co-managed logistics for the Los Angeles Olympic Games, overseeing soccer competitions across four stadiums. The overwhelming success of those games helped pave the way for the World Cup’s arrival in the U.S. in 1992.

One of his most meaningful honors was being selected to the National Staff of Coaches, where he conducted seminars nationwide and was responsible for coaching certification and licensing, impacting the development of coaches and athletes across the country. 

Steve served as Executive Director of the 1987 International Special Olympic Games at Notre Dame, continuing his impact in sports leadership and service.

Outside of athletics, Steve built a career in commercial lending and now lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife. He is a proud father of five children and a grandfather to nine.

His greatest passion today? Faith and discipleship. For the past 14 years, Steve has led prison ministry in two facilities, taught Bible classes in a local retirement center, and led a church community group. He’s the Chairman of the Deacons at his church, and being fluent in Spanish from his childhood in Costa Rica, he traveled with a team of pastors to Puerto Rico this past July to teach Biblical doctrine and discipleship.

His passions now are preaching and teaching: “My resume is not about the Olympics. My biggest drive is not to improperly teach the Word of God and to obey it.” His goal is to do it and teach it. And as much as he accomplished as an athlete, that’s not what he wants people to remember about him. Instead, he wants others to know who he is, most importantly, “A child of God.”

This fall, we are honored to celebrate the 60th reunion of the Class of 1965 and to spotlight Steve Gay, whose life continues to exemplify purpose, service, and eternal impact.