Coach Robert Steele wasn’t honored for his eight state track and field titles Friday night: He was honored for being the kind of man he is.

The veteran North Rowan High School and Rowan Express Track Club was honored by supporters of those organizations and his athletes with an appreciation banquet at the Salisbury Civic Center.

The 47-year-old Steele, a coach for 25 years, has been slowed down by diabetes the last three years, but he’s not ready to end a great coaching career.

“It’s been a mission, it’s been a love, it’s been a goal ... I still have aspirations for the kids. It all comes from the heart,” said the former East Rowan High School athlete.

“It’s not about ego, because I don’t have one.It’s not about honor and praise, because I don’t worry about Hall of Fames and recognition. That kind of stuff doesn’t motivate me. It’s about hopefully giving kids an avenue to help themselves,” said Steele, who has sent many of his athletes on to college on full or partial scholarships.

Steele was also an assistant football coach at North before cutting back on his work schedule because of his diabetic condition.

“I love the kids, but I was worn out. I had to find some time to just relax, because from outdoor track into summer track into football into indoor track back into outdoor track, it was a revolving door times 24, 25 years,” Steele explained.

He listed, sometimes with tears in his eyes, as friends, family members, athletes, former athletes and parents of athletes talked about their relationship with a man who has becoming a coaching legend in the state, winning five state 2A outdoor titles in a row plus three indoor titles against all classifications.

All-American LaTasha Pharr, a 2001 North graduate, was so emotional when she tried to talk about her coach that she cried for a couple of minutes. The audience and Steele cried along with her.

“I’ve been with you since I was 8 years old, and I’ve done so much that I thought I never could do — all these national honors, going to school, college for free — and I know sometimes I was a knucklehead, but you were still there for me,” said Pharr, who has received a full scholarship to the University of Alabama.

Pharr, a hurdler, triple jumper and long jumper, has endured a death in the family (sister Latonia Hairston on March 10) and injuries in the last year, but still managed three first places in her final state meet in Charlotte last month.

“I’ve been through a lot this year with family and on the track with injuries. Sometimes I felt like I had to give up,” said Pharr, turning toward Steele. “I looked at you and looked at how much you have been through and I couldn’t give up. I thank you for everything.”

Former North runner Drew Caldwell thought back to a relay race when he fell, got back to his feet and passed four runners to win.

“I did something that Coach Steele wanted everyone to do: When you fall, you get back up. When you scratch, you try again. When you start out slow, you fight for it to the end. I don’t think that anything could ever mean more to me in my life than the dedication he has taught me to have, than that power to give it all you have when you don’t think that there’s any more,” said Caldwell. “Coach Steele teaches each and every person that comes through that program that that’s the time when you try the hardest.”

Another former runner, Bobby Hundley, pointed out that Steele puts education ahead of sports.

“He still is a teacher first. Every year when it comes exam time, practice doesn’t come first, study hall comes first every day,” said Hundley, son of former North athletics director and coach Bob Hundley.

Former All-American Brian Ellis, who went to Arizona State on a track scholarship, said, “I can only say good things about Coach Steele.He’s like a second father that I never had.”

Other coaches — North’s Brian Mills and West’s Ralph Ellis and Willie Ellis — also praised Steele. Mills, whose North girls have won three straight state 2A titles, credited Steele with teaching him about track. The Ellises, who work with Steele during the summer with the Rowan Express, said Steele has made their West program stronger by sharing his knowledge of the sport.

Among the other speakers were East Spencer mayor Kenneth Foxx Muhammed; Spencer mayor Buddy Gettys; Salisbury mayor pro-tem Paul Woodson; North principal Mrs. H.K. Gaster; Calvin Dickerson; Richard Miller; Randy Gettys; Mike White; Mrs. Diane Robinson, Steele’s sister; and former Salisbury star Tyrone Fox, who was coached by Steele one summer.

“He was a part of what my mission’s all about. People would ask me, ‘Why do you coach kids from other schools?’ My answer was, ‘Because I have serious hopes to help them,”’ said the coach.

Mrs. Jean Kennedy and Livingstone College athletics director Clifton Huff served as emcees.