When Waynesburg Central High School Athletic Director Chris Minerd walks around town, he proudly displays his Waynesburg Central gear supporting the Red Raiders. When people notice the shirt, they ask the normal questions about the teams and the student athletes, but one question always seemed to surface: “How is Justin doing?” Justin Stephenson left this world too soon after a four-and-a-half-year battle with cancer, but the legacy he left and the impact he had on the Waynesburg community holds strong.
“Justin Stephenson was the heart and soul of the [Central Greene School] District,” said Minerd. “He always had his family and Waynesburg as his focus, and everyone always speaks highly of him and the way he interacted with students and co-workers alike.”
The Stephenson family has had a long-standing legacy in the Waynesburg Central School District, with Justin’s father, brother, and sister all competing in athletics at Waynesburg Central. Stephenson was a two-sport athlete for the Red Raiders, playing football and wrestling during his four years.
His coaches remember him as a hard-working athlete, whose unending determination and work ethic helped drive him on the athletics field. He would end up taking his talents to Westminster College, where he was a four-year member of the Titans football program, using that work ethic to help him move up the ladder.
“That boy was a barrel chested, strong kid,” said former Waynesburg Central Wrestling Coach John Yates. “He was one of those guys that no one thought would be a great athlete, but he was absolutely a guy who achieved his full potential as a student athlete. With wrestling being my particular area of expertise, he may not have been considered a technical wrestler, but his work ethic won him a lot of matches.”
“He was a hard-nosed player and was as tough as they come,” added former Waynesburg Central Football Coach and teacher Dave Sarra. “As a player, he did things the right way and everything he did was at 100%.”
That same work ethic that drove him on the athletic field once again motivated him in his professional life as he returned to the school district that gave him his start. He would quickly climb the district ladder, starting as a teacher and working his way to Athletic Director and eventually the middle school principal.
No matter his administrative role, Stephenson was always called back to athletics, serving as an assistant coach on the Waynesburg Central Football team and eventually becoming a coach in the Waynesburg Youth Football system. Because of his deep roots both in the district and the community, he had a special bond with the students like no other.
On the field, he used the same hard-nosed style he played with to help his players grow. He served as an assistant coach on Sarra’s staff, and he used his experience to connect with the student athletes.
“He was a hard-nosed player and through that he knew how to get the most out of his athletes,” said Sarra. “He was a young coach when he was coaching with me, and he was able to relate to his players and they related to him.”
As he transitioned into an administrator role, he continued to connect with the student body, many of which grew up with him in the Youth Football system.
“The way he dealt with students, he had a special bond with the entire district,” said Minerd. “The kids grew up with him through his involvement in youth football and he looked at everyone else’s kids as if they were his own. You could see his passion in middle school orientation and how he dealt with the kids, and he knew how to get across to them and gain their respect.”
Whether it be as a coach or an administrator, Stephenson knew how to get the best out of his students and help them reach their full potential. He worked tirelessly to ensure opportunities for his students, even serving as both Athletic Director and Principal at the same time for a few years. He was respected by his students and co-workers for his loyalty and undying passion for the Central Greene School District.
“He was as good as they come as a principal,” said Yates. “He was one of those guys you wanted to help. He never complained, and you never knew if he was having a bad day. I knew Justin in every phase of his life, as an eighth-grade student, a student athlete, a co-worker, a boss, and at the end of the day, he became my friend.”
No matter what role he played in the Central Greene School District, the one thing Stephenson will always be remembered for is his loyalty to the Red Raiders. He was born and raised in Waynesburg, went to school and was a student athlete at Waynesburg Central High School, and ultimately made his way back to Waynesburg Central to spend the entirety of his professional career. He made a lasting impact on everyone he met along the way and his legacy will live on forever among the Red Raider faithful.
“The biggest thing I think of when I think of Justin was how loyal he was,” said Sarra. “Family was always everything to him and if you ever needed anything at all, he was always there. Justin had so many good friends and he was a good friend to so many.”
“There is no one more deserving of being honored than Justin,” added Yates. “He has touched so many people in such a short life, and his legacy is one that will not soon be forgotten.”