Head Coach Steve Coburn said when he took the job at Wasatch High School, he and his family knew it would be his last job. He said he’ll retire after this season.
“We came here 12 years ago and knew that this was going to be our end-of-the-road job,” Coburn said. “We were elated when we got the chance to get here when Mr. Shawn Kelly hired me. My wife and I just met and talked and said when we get to the end of this season, it's time for us to move on and do something else.”
When he started in Heber, Wasatch High competed at the 3A level, and it’s since grown to 5A. That type of rapid ascension can be a challenge to programs. But, like last year when the Wasps won two playoff games before exiting in the quarterfinals, Wasatch has remained competitive.
Coburn said over the seasons, he’s proud of several playoff runs, a regional championship in 2020 and players who went on to play at the collegiate level.
“Those are just great memories of the great times here at Wasatch High School,” Coburn said.
Sam Bischoff, a Wasatch High senior in his fourth season under Coburn, called playing for his coach “exciting.”
“He always talks about the next ‘one,’” Bischoff said. “Just focusing on the next game or next play has helped with not getting overwhelmed with everything and just focusing on the task at hand.”
Over the years, Coburn’s duties took many forms beyond leading the varsity, junior varsity and sophomore team practices and games and teaching physical education.
“As a head coach,” Wasatch High School Athletic Director Ryan Bishop said, “you do the laundry, you organize the practice schedules, you make sure that all the things to run a high school program are getting done and getting accomplished. We wish him and his family the best as he moves into the next phase of his life.”
After playing football at Montana Tech University and Ricks College, Coburn coached high school teams in Idaho before he became defensive coordinator at Snow College in Ephraim. He coached there for 10 years before he came to Heber City.
The Wasps have won three games and lost six so far this year, and they’re 2-3 in region play after they won the senior night game against Cedar Valley, 35-21.
Now, Coburn said his focus is on one last playoff run.
“I think we have a team that's good enough to do it when we take care of business,” Coburn said, “and I think that with this group of receivers, this group of offensive and defensive linemen and linebackers that we have you know, that are our veteran guys can carry us through a deep another deep playoff run.”
The regular season has ended, and the playoff schedule for the 2023 season is not set yet.
