Mike Martz watched a young Steve Bridges run pass patterns and immediately predicted his future route.
“You would make a good coach, and that’s something you should think about,’’ Martz told Bridges.
That was decades ago when Martz was San Diego Mesa College’s offensive coordinator, and Bridges was a wannabe wide receiver.
Martz, who later led the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl 34 title, was convinced Bridges had the chops to coach.
“He was right,’’ Bridges said. “I was interested in the Xs and Os of football since I was in high school.’’
Bridges could catch passes, and he finally caught on to Martz’s message. A coach’s life would soon be Bridges’, and the gratitude he exudes for having that occupation is undeniable.
“I’m very humbled,’’ Bridges said.
As well as very decorated.
Bridges was saluted recently at the 23rd San Diego Coaching Legends event, surrounded by colleagues who gave their all for prep athletes.
Bridges settled in at Escondido High School in 1992, and if he ever looked back, it was to see if every teenager possible was tagging along.
All are welcome around Bridges, as he puts people at ease with his modesty and roll-up-the-sleeves attitude. Bridges knew he was in the right place when he arrived in Escondido because he was surrounded by mentors who prioritized their players.
“Emotionally, you just learn to be a man of faith and that it’s about being a servant and loving kids,’’ Bridges, 64, said. “And trying to give back to the community and its people.’’
Bridges, a longtime Escondido resident and PE teacher, did so by diving headfirst into Cougars sports, trying to disprove the notion of there only being 24 hours in a day. With a motor that never receded from the red line, Bridges was always on the go, seeing about this and making sure about that.
His name is well-known in prep golf circles, as he coached the Escondido squad for 25 seasons, and he’s run the CIF tournament for a dozen years. That’s in addition to being Escondido’s athletic director for 17 years and the head honcho for girls’ junior varsity basketball for nine campaigns.
Lori Becker, a former Escondido volleyball and girls basketball coach, was honored at the banquet along with Bridges.
“Steve always had a smile on his face, and you could tell he loved his job, that he enjoyed it,” Becker said. “He respected the kids, had fun with them, and always thought there was some good about everybody.”
Bridges also coached Escondido football for four seasons, but it abruptly ended when he was curtly summoned to the athletic director’s office after a challenging season.
“He said, ‘You are not doing a good enough job, and we are going to have to let you go,’’’ Bridges recalled. “Basically, it was that the program was going to move in a new direction.’’
That athletic director’s name?
Steve Bridges.
It was the only football coach Bridges dismissed, and the scenario still draws a chuckle.
Bridges’ routine, although he bid adieu to Escondido in 2022, hasn’t changed drastically. He’s gone full circle at Mesa, now serving as the squad’s defensive coordinator.
It’s still about showing young men the path forward without getting in the way that keeps that whistle around Bridges’ neck.
Just what makes a good coach?
“There are two ways to be a successful coach, and that is to coach through fear or through love,” Bridges said. “I wanted to use the second one.”
“No. 1 is you have to want to mentor young men and women to be successful in life. No. 2 is that you have to have a good work ethic. If you have those two things and knowledge of the sport, you can be successful.’’
Bridges proves what keen coaches realize: Players care how much you know, but only after they know how much you care.
“It’s not only about the wins and losses,’’ Bridges said. “I love to win, but it’s also about giving a great experience to kids. It’s about giving those kids a chance to do something that they would have never done.’’
Bridges isn’t finished, although he jokes about his year-to-year contract at Mesa. Hanging with his grandchildren is a joy that he doesn’t take lightly.
“I’m richly blessed with the people I got to work with, the kids I got to coach, and the coaching colleagues I got to know,’’ he said. “Plus, having a great family and wife.’’
The marriage between Bridges and Escondido? Rightly so, it’ll long be remembered and celebrated.
Among others honored at the San Diego Coaching Legends event:
— Rob Gilster (Orange Glen and Valley Center; football, track and field, and girls basketball)
— John Farrell (Torrey Pines, Army-Navy, La Costa Canyon, El Camino; boys and girls basketball)
— Steve Riehle (Rancho Buena Vista; baseball).
Contact Jay Paris at [email protected] and follow him @jparis_sports
