Steve Riggs
By ELIZABETH GOLLIVER
We all saw Michael Phelps make history at this year’s Beijing Olympics on the U.S. swim team. Well, Believe it or not, Northern had its own Michael Phelps in 1974.
His name was Steve Riggs and he went to the National Junior College Championship in 1974. He was the only 1-man team there and also became the fan favorite. He ended up being a three time All-American at the meet.
Steven Riggs was born in Tulsa, OK and the rest of his family was born in Ponca City, OK. He attended Tulsa Edison High School as a sophomore and then attended Norman High School for the rest of his high school years. He quickly developed a love of swimming while in high school. In high school he was the state champion and record holder for the 400 Medley Relay, Captain of the State Championship team in 1972, All-American Consideration 1972 and All-State 1972. He attended the University of Oklahoma for a year, then he moved Ponca City to live with his grandmother. He attended NOC for his sophomore year in the 1973-1974 school year.
He found out about the National Junior College Swimming Championships in Lavonia, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. He contacted Leo Canady, the athletic director in 1974, about the possibility of being sponsored by NOC at the meet. No one on the coaching staff at Northern was going to be able to go with Steve to the meet, so he was able to stay with the host swimming coach, who was Steve’s acting sponsor at the meet.
NOC did not have a swimming pool in 1974 so Steve worked out at the Conoco pool in Ponca City. The National meet was held at Schoolcraft College in Michigan. He entered in three events; the 100 Yard Butterfly, the 200 Yard Butterfly and the 200 Yard Backstroke. He quickly became a fan favorite since he was the only 1-man team of the 27 teams who entered the competition. He finished 1st in the 100 Yard Butterfly, 2nd in the 200 Yard Butterfly, and 3rd in the 200 Yard Backstroke. This made him a three time All-American since he finished in the top 6 of each event.
He graduated from NOC in 1974 with an A.S. in business and went on to Oklahoma State University. While he attended OSU he was All Big Eight , Captain of the 1976 swimming team and Varsity Letter.
From 1976-1977 he worked as a Graduate Assistant Coach at OSU where he worked with Big Eight champions and Australian Olympic team members. From 1978-1983 he coached the Bullfrogs of Edmond Swim Team where he started a USA swimming club from scratch. He was also an Assistant Swimming Coach for the Kerr-McGee Swim Club.
Steve is currently the Swimming Director and an elementary school teacher at Edmond Public Schools. He has been elected to the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame. In 2003 he was selected as the National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of Swimming. He has also been selected as the Oklahoma Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2008. He has received the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association “Excellence in Coaching Award” and has received numerous other rewards. He has a wife Gerre of 18 years and two children- Christa, 16 and Sara, 13.
During his coaching career at three high schools he has trained 10 state champions, 23 state runner-ups, 69 conference champions, 9 OSSAA Academic Champions, 86 Individual Champions, 21 State Record Holders, 1 National Record Holder, 18 All-American First Team and 69 OK Coaches All-State Meet.
His motivation is in Proverbs 16:3 which states “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established!” and in James 4:10 which states “Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you up!”
