Inductees

Steve wrestled at Bakersfield High School for Hall of Fame coach Olan Polite. He was South Yosemite League, San Joaquin and CIF Central Section Masters Champion his junior year in 1966. A neck injury hampered his senior season and wrestling at Bakersfield Junior College and San Francisco State. Varner returned to Bakersfield High in 1973 as a volunteer assistant with the newly founded freshman league, and he coached the first junior program for Polite under the newly formed Kern County Wrestling Association.

He was Polite’s Head Assistant in 1975 and 1976. From 1977-87 (with a one-year medical leave), Steve was Head Coach at Bakersfield High School, building on Polite’s ground work to establish the Drillers as a California wrestling power. Under his tenure, BHS won four SYL titles with three undefeated seasons and three more teams with only one loss.

His teams included 29 SYL Champions and 9 Central Section Masters Champions while increasing BHS State Placers from 2 to 9. He coached the school’s first 2 State Champions and the first BHS undefeated State Champion. From 2001 to 2010, he was Head Assistant Coach at BHS, helping David East with the 2002 BHS team that set many state records, as well as Andy Varner with the 2004 and 2010 State Championship Teams. When the Kern County Invitational was dropped, Steve started the “Double Quad” format tournament that featured state champions and powerhouses.

Varner coached an AAU All-Star Team (along with Drew Williams, Ray Juhl and team leader Polite) that travelled to Germany. He coached his AAU team that travelled to Germany, and he hosted several cultural exchange team meets, including the Hungarians, Argentineans, and the Dutch teams for Bill Martel as they made their way to the Concord Invitational. Steve is a former Board Member of the Kern County Wrestling Association and the Coyote Amateur Wrestling Club, and he served as the YSL representative to the CIF.