Jan Stuebbe recalls a football game at El Camino in 1970 where 10,000 fans packed the stadium with 7,000 of those being Renegade fans. On the way to the game, Stuebbe, Bakersfield College’s quarterback, remembers seeing car after car go by with the red-and-white Renegade colors with “go ‘Gades” in the windows. In a game that put two 9-0 teams against each other, Stuebbe reflected on the last-second missed field goal by El Camino.
“It was a great ending to the game, and we were surrounded by all of our fans. It was just a great experience,” said Stuebbe, the current athletic director at BC.
When asked about how he played in that game, Stuebbe replied with a smile saying, “I did good, but it didn’t matter either way, because the team did good, and we won the game.”
This is just one of the many memories Stuebbe had of his time at BC and in the community as he looked back at his career. Stuebbe is set to retire from the education field and as an athletic director. July 1 after 37 years of serving his community.
Stuebbe grew up in Shafter and played high school football for Shafter High before coming to BC and having what Stuebbe calls a great time in his life.
“I remember the night before our first football practice. I didn’t sleep all night, because I didn’t know if I could play up here,” he said. “My two years up here was just a great experience, playing for coach Gerry Collis and I met my wife Debbie the first weekend I moved into town. It was just a great time.”
After BC, Stuebbe went on to Colorado State University where he played quarterback for the Rams.
“I had a good time there, too, but it was nothing like playing for the Renegades,” said Stuebbe.
Upon graduating, Stuebbe returned home, and at the age of 22 began coaching. Stuebbe started at McFarland, and then moved on to Shafter for 16 years. After leaving Shafter, Stuebbe helped start the Centennial High program and was the athletic director and head varsity football coach there for five years before becoming the athletic director at BC.
Stuebbe mentioned some of the highlights he’s had as a Renegade in the past 13 years and a few from previous stops in the community.
“Working with the community is a definite highlight to me because they’re very supportive and interested in our athletic program. Another highlight I’ve had was when the Shriners got out of the Potato Bowl, and I got to work, and I had a message from Wes Bradford with Clifford and Bradford Insurance and he said ‘I want that game,’ ” said Stuebbe. “Now for seven years we’ve had the Clifford and Bradford Golden Empire Bowl. Wes is a guy in the community who just wants to give back. He doesn’t make any money on the game, and he’s the best sponsor of bowl games in the state. To me, working with people like Wes has been a real highlight.”
For Stuebbe, another big accomplishment was the remodeling of most of the sports complexes including the fitness center, the William H. Wheeler and Jeffery Townsend Pool and Aquatic Center, and the Dean and Adah Gay Sports Complex, which houses the baseball and softball fields. Stuebbe referred to them as “some of the best in the state.”
Stuebbe also recognizes the people he has had the chance to hire, work with, and teach.
“I’ve been involved with hiring three-quarters of our staff, and they’re all quality individuals and could be Division 1 coaches in my opinion. Working with student athletes has also been very great. Eighty-five percent of our students are local and of our second-year athletes, 50 percent go on to a four-year college, whether they play or not,” he said. “We have some continue with their playing careers and some don’t, but continue their education because they’re halfway to their degree. And seeing kids move on, is just great.”
Stuebbe realizes how much time and effort goes into being an athletic director and just wants to live a more normal life. With 180 home competitions a year, Stuebbe says he hasn’t had a full two-day weekend in quite some time. Stuebbe also suffered a stroke a year ago in December of 2009 and took a leave of absence during the spring semester in 2010.
“After 13 years, I just feel it’s time for me to move on. That is a long time to keep that schedule up and worry about budgets and fund-raise. It’s very rewarding, but I think it’ll be healthy for me and healthy for the college to make the change,” Stuebbe said. “I don’t feel old enough to retire, but it’s time to do something else, maybe in the private sector. I’ll miss the relationships I’ve built with the faculty and staff, but I won’t miss the demands of this job and that’s when I knew it was time to retire.
“I had my stroke a year ago in December, and I was off for four months, but that was far from retirement. I was pretty much housebound for a couple months and that was different because my life stopped and my life has never stopped. It didn’t really have an effect on this decision, I mean, I had time to think about it, but even before the stroke I knew my time was getting closer. I knew I wouldn’t be working for too much longer at this job,” said Stuebbe.
As for who is going to replace Stuebbe, no one has been named. Stuebbe believes a lot of the coaches at BC have the potential to be a good replacement, but doesn’t want to be on a hiring committee. He says he is here through the semester to assist if someone is hired before July 1.