Retired Juan Diego coach honored by Utah Sports Foundation

Friday, Apr. 17, 2015

WEST JORDAN — Steve Cramblitt was among four coaches inducted into the Utah Sports Foundation Hall of Honor for Distinguished High School Coaches at the annual spring banquet held at Little America Hotel March 31. Cramblitt and his wife, Susan, are members of Saint Joseph the Worker Parish.

Cramblitt is an assistant pitching coach at Riverton High School. 

During his career he won seven state baseball titles as head coach at Taylorsville High School and two championships as head coach at Juan Diego Catholic High School, earning a distinction among coaches in any sport by claiming titles in Classes 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A. His Taylorsville program became a dynasty, with 12 region championships.

“We feel like Steve was just a really, really outstanding candidate,” said Joel Gardner, Utah Sports Foundation president-elect. “Overall Steve won 437 games, nine state championships, and 17 region championships in his coaching career, which is again, really outstanding and obviously the reason we chose him for this award. The other candidates were likewise impressive, but Steve was extra-impressive. He is well-respected in the community.”

The foundation recognizes head coaches for their outstanding success in athletics and positive influence on young people who come under their tutelage, who led by example and promoted dedication, hard work, character development and leadership. 

The criteria includes being a coach for at least 10 years in the state of Utah in the sport(s) for which they are being nominated; coached for at least 10 years, with a minimum of five years in the state of Utah in the sport(s) for which they are being nominated; must have been retired for a minimum of two years from the sport(s) for which they are being nominated;  and recognized as an outstanding coach because of his/her athletic success and/or other equally outstanding qualifications. 

Cramblitt began his coaching career in Utah as the assistant baseball coach for 12 years at Taylorsville and head coach for 24 years. He was head baseball coach at Skyline High School for five years before returning to Taylorsville in 1991 for 14 years; he then retired from the Granite School District.

He became the head baseball coach and athletic director at Juan Diego in 2005, retiring in 2010 after contracting chronic fatigue syndrome.

“It was a joy to be a part of the Juan Diego community,” he said. “It was definitely a blessing for me and my family.” 

Cramblitt grew up in Baltimore around baseball and fell in love with the game, he said. “My dad was a big help to me; he spent time coaching me, and I had a cousin who played in the major leagues whom I followed.” 

Cramblitt graduated from Frostburg State in Maryland, where he played baseball for Bob Wells, who “had a huge impact on me,” he said. “He had a great baseball mind; he won 900 games and he had a playbook that I brought with me to Utah and used all of my years as a coach. I was just an average player, but I really studied the game.” 

When Cramblitt became the head coach at Taylorsville, he didn’t have a pitching coach, so he attended clinics and camps and learned the techniques, he said. “I worked extremely hard and I had good talent; a number of the guys I coached went on to play in college and the major leagues. What brings me the most joy is knowing that I and my wife played a small part in their lives. I felt that the blend of academics and hard work on the field could build young men to become helpful, successful members of society.” 

Jon Hoover, head baseball coach at Cottonwood High School, met Cramblitt in 1991 when he was at Taylorsville. “I have a lot of respect for Steve; he is an outstanding coach and his strength is pitching,” Hoover said. “Every year his bench was deep with four or five pitchers. The games against Steve’s teams were always competitive and hard fought, but off the field he was and remains a good friend.”