It's not the size of the dog in the fight,
it's the size of the fight in the dog.
~ Mark Twain
it's the size of the fight in the dog.
~ Mark Twain
Stephen's Athletic Career
This web page is more about adventure than athletics, but perhaps sports merit a small inclusion here. I never made it to the top of any sport but I did my best and managed a few small victories along the way.
Baseball
- 1974, starting first baseman for the Center Grove (IN) Little League "Sooners." Our team went undefeated and won the Minor's division season championship.
- 1975, reserve left fielder for the Center Grove (IN) Little League's "Reds." Our team lost only one game all season and won the Major's division league championship, and then went on to win the regional championship.
- 1997 (softball), starting first baseman for Friendship Baptist Church's team in the Greenwood (IN) Park System's "Co-Ed Recreational Softball League." Our team went 7-5 and finished second in the league standings.
Basketball
- 1977-82, starting guard for the Good Shepherd Baptist Academy Crusaders high school basketball team. Won the 1980 GSBA Thanksgiving Invitational Tournament. Was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 1981 and again in 1982. Graduated as the school's all time leading scorer (a record that will stand forever since the academy closed after the 1989 school year). In early '82 our team was ranked 2nd in the state by the Indiana Christian Athletic Association. I was probably better at basketball (and perhaps auto racing) than any other sport.
- Coached three high school varsity and junior varsity teams for a total of 11 seasons. These teams posted 10 winning seasons and 3 league championships.
Football
- 1977, starting wide receiver (and backup quarterback) for the Good Shepherd Baptist Academy Crusaders high school flag football team.
- 2011, quarterback for the Southside/Greenwood Christian Church "Jets" team in the AAG flag football league. Our team won the Blue Division championship with 6 wins and 4 losses. I threw for 974 yards on the season with a 61% completion ratio, 18 touchdowns with 7 interceptions and a 102.7 quarterback rating at age 47.
Soccer
- 1979-1982, starting forward for the Good Shepherd Baptist Academy Crusaders high school soccer team that posted a winning record every year of my tenure and nearly won the state title in the fall of 1981. On graduation I held the single game, single season and career scoring records. My single game scoring record was later broken. I believe my career and single season scoring records stood until the school closed but the records necessary to confirm that beyond doubt are now destroyed.
- 1981, named to the West Divisions's honorary All-Division team by the Indiana Christian Athletic Association.
Motor Racing
- 1985-present, drove in amateur and low to mid-level professional auto races in stock cars and sports cars, on dirt and asphalt ovals as well as road courses throughout the United States. Won 24 races, 19 pole positions, 2 season championships and became one of the few drivers at this level to hold track records on both an oval (Midvale Speedway, OH) and a road course (Gingerman Raceway, MI).
Mountain Climbing
- 2005-present, climbed 36 mountains across the Appalachians, Rockies, Cascades and the Atlas range of Morocco. Each climb was its own adventure and these activities were the inspiration for this web site. See the home page under "Mountain Climbing" for a description of individual ascents.
Martial Arts
- 2002-present
- 3rd degree black belt in Kenpo Karate (became 1st degree black belt at age 49)
- 4th degree black belt in Kali-Silat knife fighting
- Created the Kali-Silat Advanced Knife Defense system
- 1st degree black belt in WAVE defense system
- 1st degree black belt in Snake Fist Karate system
- 1st degree black belt in Combat Arts knife fighting system.
Table Tennis
- 1977-1982, played ping pong almost daily in high school. Amassed a record of 149 wins and 26 losses during this period.
- 1979, Good Shepherd Baptist Academy Ping Pong Champion
- 1982, Good Shepherd Baptist Academy Table Tennis Champion (boy's division), then defeated the girl's winner for the overall school championship
- 2017, won the New Year's Eve Grand Champion title at Cornerstone Baptist Church (small, unofficial tournament, but hey... it was a tournament)
Shooting
- 2014-present
- Won the 2014 Cornerstone Baptist Church Guy Fawkes Day open pistol shooting championship
- Won the 2015 Cornerstone Baptist Church Guy Fawkes Day open pistol shooting championship
- Graduated from Front Sight Firearms Training Institute's 4-Day Defensive Handgun Course in February, 2020.