Inductees

He grew up working for his grandfather’s lumber companies in northeast Missouri and, when not there, could be found in the local high school basketball gym because his dad was the coach.

However, Steve Frank’s life nearly detoured away from the game, as he considered declining the collegiate path in order to work in the lumber yard. That is, until his mom intervened.

“I was skeptical about going to college, not knowing if I could handle the studies,” Frank said. “My mother broke down in tears one evening and pleaded with me to give college a shot and, after a semester, if I didn’t like it, they would never say another word about it and I could go to work in the family business.”

Fortunately for hundreds of teenagers in the years to come, Frank found his calling coaching high school basketball. In fact, his success is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct him with the Class of 2022.

The result? Try a 533-117 record as a high school basketball coach in Missouri over 28 seasons. He started in 1991, coaching boys for his first nine years, and then led girls teams through 2019.

Frank guided Strafford High School’s girls program to four consecutive state championships (2016-2019), along with a 115-game win streak, a state record. He also had a fourth-place finish, 14 district titles and was 8-2 in the Final Four. His 2018 team was No. 24 and his 2019 No. 14 in the USA Today national rankings, with the 2019 team also No. 1 in the Nation Public School rankings. Strafford was 5-0 against nationally ranked teams, and Frank was chosen as the National Midwest Coach of the Year in 2019.

And that followed success coaching the Seymour High School girls basketball program. In his final four seasons, his teams were 114-11, including 18-0 in the Summit Conference. In eight seasons there, his varsity girls teams won four district titles and reached the Class 3 Final Four in 2012.

This from a 1985 graduate of Clopton High School in Clarksville, a community between St. Louis and Hannibal, and he still cherishes all those who steered him to college, as it was his conduit into coaching.

His dad, Bob, spent 33 years in education as a teacher, coach and athletic director. And another influence was Clopton coach Dale Miller, who had six Final Four teams in 12 seasons. Frank was on three of them (1983-1985), with two state runner-up finishes and a third-place showing his senior year.

“My grandfather taught many life lessons but one message that really stuck with me was he always preached to me that you have to do something you love in life when choosing a career, or it will be a long miserable life,” Frank said.

Fortunately, his mom’s encouragement led to his own coaching career. You see, he evenly split his college years playing for Steve Tappmeyer (MSHOF 2018) at East Central Junior College and College of the Ozarks coach Al Waller (MSHOF 2003).

“This was the best choice I ever made in my life at this point,” Frank said of C of O. “This is where my life changed not just as an athlete but as a person.”

After his playing days, Frank worked two years as Waller’s assistant, and then coached at Hollister High School, then at another school near Clopton, and then Conway. His teams won several district titles but were stopped in the sectionals by the eventual state champion.

“This is when I took a hard look in the mirror to figure out how I can get over the hump and get my teams into the Final Four,” Frank said. “My Xs and Os didn’t change much but my approach did. My formula went to a different level, when taking over the Seymour job.  Team chemistry became a larger focus than raw talent.  It became about relationships, trust, passion, work ethic, dedication and respect for everyone around you.”

That carried over to Strafford, the alma mater of his wife, Mona. There, his daughters Hayley and Kayley helped led the team to unprecedented success.

“Over the years of coaching I really grew and matured as a coach and a mentor,’ Frank said. “When I had my own twin daughters, I took a totally different view on life and how I coached. I became a father to all my players, treating them all as my own on and off the floor.”

What a run it’s been.