Steve Kloke was born and raised in Anacortes, WA and enjoyed his upbringing in the small, tight-knit community. Steve played an array of sports while growing up, soccer, track, tennis, baseball, and basketball. ports were an integral part of his formative years. In 1990 he graduated from Anacortes High School where he was a three-sport athlete playing soccer, tennis, and basketball. He lettered all four years in soccer and was lso named All-Area three years in a row and two times Second Team All-League. Steve lettered two years in tennis being named All-League is senior year and qualified for the District Tournament. Basketball would become his primary focus in high school where he was a 3-year letterman and was named All-League Northwest Conference as well All-Area and team captain his senior year. He played for his distant cousin, Dennis Kloke, who was a high school basketball coach for 52 years and coaching mentor in Steve’s early years. “I am absolutely indebted to Dennis for believing in me and supporting me as both a player in his program, and also as a young coach. He taught me to value the fundamentals of the game and the importance of basketball intelligence.”
After graduating from AHS in 1990, Steve attended Edmonds Community College playing basketball for one season. For his second year of college, he attended Skagit Valley College playing one season where in 1992, SVC finished 2nd in the NWAAC Tournament losing to Lane Community College. After earning his Associates Degree from Skagit Valley Community College, Steve transferred to Western Washington University where he pursued a BA of History with a teaching certification. He graduated from WWU in 1995.
During Steve’s junior year at WWU he began his high school coaching career. His first coaching stint was as the girls freshman basketball team at his alma mater, Anacortes High School. He would also become an assistant coach for the girls volleyball team as well as the coach of the boys JV soccer team at AHS. Finally, he was given a chance to work with his mentor, Dennis Kloke, coaching the boys freshman basketball team from 1994-1997. During that time, he coached his brother, Neal.
In 1997, Steve got his first full-time teaching job as a social studies teacher at Mark Morris High School in Longview, WA. He has taught a wide variety of courses including World History, U.S History, AP U.S. History, CWP, Civics, and AVID. He just finished his 27th year of teaching and still enjoys the classroom very much. In 2003 Steve earned his Master’s in Teaching from Grand Canyon University.
Steve will tell you that his primary job is as a teacher. He teaches with passion and high expectations. His students come to realize very quickly that his professionalism, dedication, and student-centered focus make him an educator with great impact. Steve decided early on that coaching would compliment his teaching. He never wanted students to think he was just a coach, but that the two went hand in hand.
Besides basketball, Steve coached student-athletes in other sports at MMHS. He was an assistant coach for both the boys and girls soccer programs. He was the head boys tennis coach from 2001-2006 winning the league title in 2001. He had several doubles teams and singles players qualify for the state tournament. Additionally, his tennis team was awarded Academic State Championship in 2003. Recently, Steve got back into coaching tennis as the girls assistant coach in 2022 and 2023 where he was able to coach his oldest daughter, Jessa.
His coaching career at MMHS has been defined largely by his role as an assistant coach in the boys basketball program under the leadership of Bill Bakamus from 1997 to the present. He served as the varsity assistant coach where he as been by Coach Bakamus’ side for the last 22 years. In total, Steve has coached high school basketball for 30 years. “It has been a privilege and honor to coach with Bill for over two decades. He has been a true mentor and one of my very best friends. I cannot thank him enough for allowing me the opportunity to have a voice and a role in one of the best programs in the state of Washington. Any impact or success I have had has been because of Coach Bakamus’ leadership, support, and encouragement.”
Steve has been married for 21 years to his beautiful wife Lisa and has raised two amazing daughters, Jessa who is headed to Washington State University, and Kaitlyn who will be a senior at MMHS.
