Known by some as the godfather of Montana weightlifting, USA Weightlifting regrets to report the death of Steve Gough, who died at age 75 on Oct. 15, 2021.

“Steve was the ultimate coach, patriot and human,” Kathleen ‘KD’ Winters wrote in an email tribute. “SG is and forever will be The Greatest Of All Time.”

An irreplaceable coach and cofounder of the original Team Montana Weightlifting Club along with Mike Karchut, Gough coached many of the sport’s great athletes including two-time world team member Winters, three-time junior world team member and now Level 2 coach Jasha Faye, and Tom Gough, his son, a 1996 Olympian and 1995 Pan American Games medalist.

Steve Gough lived a life of service – joining the U.S. Marine Corps in 1966, then the San Francisco Police Department in 1969 with which he was one of the first members of the undercover tactical squad starting in 1971.

He also began lifting and coaching at Alex’s Sports Palace that year, under three-time Olympic coach Jim Schmitz.

“Coach Gough was truly a one-of-a-kind person,” coach Max Aita wrote. “His charisma and positivity saturated every training session and every conversation you’d have with him. His knowledge of weightlifting and enthusiasm for the sport was second to none. He was the type of coach to push you to do things that you didn’t know you were capable of and more importantly he was the man that believed everyone who walked through the doors to the gym could do incredible things.

“Coach Gough valued actions over words, toughness and persistence over excuses and bullshit. It shows in all of the people whose lives he has touched over the years, people who would go to the ends of the earth and back for him. Steve Gough was truly the greatest man I have ever met.”

Throughout a lengthy personal and team coaching career that covered California and Montana, Gough served as assistant coach on three junior world teams and head coach of a junior Pan American team.

“Fellow Marine and loyal friend Steve Gough is one of few great mentors I have had in my life, and I miss him dearly,” Mike Burgener, a Level 5 international coach, wrote. “While saddened of Steve’s passing, I am extremely blessed to have been his friend. My respect and admiration of Coach Gough knows no bounds!! Steve – Semper Fi, brother!”

Read Gough’s full obituary or plant a memorial tree in his honor by clicking here.

USA Weightlifting Mourns Loss Of Legendary Coach Steve Gough

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