Giving back: Family shines light on soccer community that rallied around coach
Family shines light on soccer community that rallied around coach
For years, Steve Champlin was a fixture in the Uniontown-area soccer community.
The 38-year-old father of two coached, cheered on young athletes, volunteered, served on boards, helped organize programs, and was on the sidelines of fields throughout the region.
But for the past seven years, while Champlin showed up for the players and soccer clubs he loved, he was fighting a battle off the pitch: stage IV melanoma.
On Aug. 26, Champlin – who would leave treatments and head straight to fundraisers, games, or board meetings – passed away.
Champlin’s wife, Sarah, said the same soccer community he showed up for throughout his illness has shown up for her and Steve Champlin’s family during his cancer battle, carrying the family through their most difficult time.
“I can’t begin to tell you how wonderfully overwhelming the support we have gotten from Fayette County Soccer and the Landsharks (Futsal) has been, and how the people who loved and knew Steve who have helped out. It’s been unbelievably beautiful to watch,” said Sarah Champlin, 35. “I want people to know the Fayette County soccer community is a group of people who reach out to help one of their own, and we want to give back to that community. I sure as heck can’t coach, but I want to tell our story and shine a light on the soccer community and throw a net out there to see how we can help keep Steve’s legacy going.”
Champlin, a 2006 graduate of Albert Gallatin High School where he played soccer, track and football, spent eight years coaching with Fayette County Youth Soccer Club, and he also served on the board and as treasurer. He also coached Landsharks Futsal, a program he fell in love with, his wife said.
For Champlin, coaching was never simply about the game. It was about helping kids become better players, better teammates and better people.
This fall, Champlin had planned to coach the Fayette County Youth Soccer Club’s 12 and under D4 travel team and serve as assistant coach for Beadling South under-11 team. He had also been offered an assistant coaching position with Victory and planned to continue with the Landsharks this winter.
Soccer coaches throughout the Mon Valley said Champlin was a mentor and father figure to his players, a coach “who believed deeply in building teams both on and off the field and in the personal development of every player.”
FCYSC organized fundraising efforts which included a FCYSC Community Carnival on May 2, where more than 300 tickets were sold to help the Champlin family.
The FCYSC honored Champlin through several initiatives, including warm-up jerseys in his memory for travel players. The league also incorporated his name into its logo on the players’ rec league shirts.
On Sept. 11, FCYSC also hosted “The Season Starts with Steve,” an event that brought the soccer community together to remember Champlin’s lasting impact he made on the club.
Among the events organized during Champlin’s cancer battle was a 5K race, coordinated by Sarah’s nephew – Miles for Melanoma – which Champlin ran in months before he passed.
“Steve has done so many things for so many people,” said Dave Fletcher, owner of Landsharks Futsal. “Over the years, I have watched this guy help kids and help people without ever wanting anything in return. This is a guy who would literally come from a treatment and then spend hours working with kids. He was amazing and his level of commitment to helping kids while fighting melanoma was so amazing.”
The Landsharks established the Steve Champlin Legacy Award, which honors character, leadership, perseverance, selflessness and the willingness to make those around you better – qualities that Champlin valued.
The fundraisers have helped Sarah Champlin, a nurse, and her son – who, like their father, loves soccer – navigate the costs that came with Champlin’s medical costs – medical bills, hospital stays, food, and hotels.
But the support, Sarah Champlin said, was more than financial – the soccer community surrounded the Champlin family with prayers, messages, encouragement and support throughout Champlin’s illness and his end of life.
“Coaches, families, players and friends continued to show up, and they let us know we were not facing those months alone,” Sarah Champlin said.
Now, as Sarah looks ahead and raises her and Steven’s two sons, she is thinking about what comes next for her, their family, and the soccer community.
“I want to find a way to share his story and to continue his legacy,” said Champlin. “Soccer was always his main sport. He loved it, and he loved the community and the kids he worked with. Whether it is helping improve fields and facilities, supporting the growth of Futsal, or creating new opportunities for young athletes, I want to help turn Steve’s legacy into something that continues to impact kids for years to come.”
To discuss ways to support the soccer community Steve loved, please contact champlinsoccerlegacy@gmail.com.