On Friday, December 12, the Shultz Transportation Gym at McCaskey High School became a gathering place shaped by history and connection. Long before the opening tip against Lebanon, the bleachers filled with familiar faces. Former players greeted one another with handshakes that turned into hugs. Families settled into seats with stories already forming.
Before the Red Tornado took the floor, the School District of Lancaster officially dedicated the McCaskey basketball court in honor of Coach Steve “Bird” Powell. The moment honored a man whose presence guided generations of students and whose influence still moves through the halls of McCaskey and across the city of Lancaster.
Coach Powell’s greatest teams came in the early 2000s, an era many still describe as the golden years of McCaskey basketball. Players became local celebrities. Names like Jerry Johnson, Perry Patterson, and Dustin Salisbery remain woven into Lancaster’s sports history. Those teams captured two District Three championships and brought a sense of pride and possibility that extended well beyond the court.
At the time, being part of the Red Tornado meant belonging to something larger than yourself. To wear the warmups Coach Powell personally bought for his players was a badge of honor. It signaled trust, unity, and the belief that every player deserved to walk into a gym feeling confident and valued.
“It was like being a rock star,” said Brandon Way, Class of 2003. “Everywhere you went, people recognized you.”
That recognition did not come from ego or spectacle. It came from connection and care. Coach Powell understood the power of visibility. He knew that when students feel seen, supported, and believed in, they rise not only as athletes, but as people.
Coach Powell’s journey at McCaskey began in 1972 when he arrived as a volunteer assistant under longtime coach Pete Horn. Known affectionately as “Bird,” he spent 21 years learning, teaching, and committing himself to the program before becoming head coach in 1993. He would remain on the McCaskey sideline until his passing in 2018, dedicating 46 years of his life to the Red Tornado.
Along the way, he became the all-time winningest boys basketball coach in Lancaster-Lebanon League history with 468 victories. Under his leadership, McCaskey captured nine league championships, eleven section titles, and multiple district crowns. Nine of the school’s twelve 1,000-point scorers played during his tenure as head coach.
But Friday night made it clear that numbers alone cannot define Coach Powell’s legacy.
Alumni from across decades filled the gym, many returning for the first time in years. Tony Jefferson, Class of 1996, stood among them, reflecting on a coach who shaped his life beyond basketball.
“He was a very important person to me outside of basketball,” Jefferson said. “He was a father figure to a lot of us. This was a family reunion. He was about family and keeping us all connected.”
That sense of family was not accidental. Coach Powell knew his players deeply. He knew their parents. He knew where they lived. He understood what they carried with them into the gym each day. He believed in holding students accountable while never withdrawing care.
That philosophy followed him long before Lancaster. As a student at Chester High School, Powell first fell in love with basketball after attending a game with his older sister, Ethel. That love carried him through Chester, then Millersville State College, where he was a scholar-athlete, team captain, all-conference selection, and later a hall of fame inductee.
When he arrived in Lancaster after college, he chose to stay. He built a life rooted in service. He owned local businesses and hired players. He paid for meals after games so students would not go home hungry. He covered the cost of uniforms, shoes, camps, tutoring, and opportunities many families could not afford. He used his connections to help students find summer jobs and pathways forward.
“He was always positive,” said Carlos Montgomery, Class of 1986. “He was just a great guy to be around who always looked out for the team and for individuals beyond school.”
Coach Powell’s commitment extended into the broader educational community. He regularly brought McCaskey players into elementary schools, inspiring younger students and showing them what was possible. Brandon Way recalled watching Powell bring standout players like Ty Ballard into Hamilton Elementary to throw down dunks and connect with students. Moments like those planted dreams long before high school.
For current McCaskey head coach Dustin Salisbery, the dedication carried personal meaning. He first met Coach Powell as an eighth grader at an AAU tournament. Their first conversation was not about points or playing time, but about grades. Two years later, Salisbery transferred to McCaskey and became part of the program’s defining era. Now, as head coach himself, he carries Powell’s lessons forward.
McCaskey’s first victory on Steve Powell Court came under Salisbery’s leadership.
“He was a great man,” Salisbery said. “Outside of being a coach, he really helped out a lot of players with their lives.”
Before the game, fans were greeted by a photo of Coach Powell displayed above the gym entrance. Inside, his life partner Gloria Campbell stood at center court, embraced by former players in a moment that reflected the heart of the man being honored.
“Everything at McCaskey was special to him,” Campbell shared. “Each season was very special to him.”
That love was evident in the room. Men who had not worn the red and black for decades returned because being there mattered.
“You couldn’t find a nicer guy,” Montgomery said. “He’d give you the shirt off his back.”
Naming the court is a visible tribute, but the true dedication lives in the culture Coach Powell helped build. A culture rooted in pride, connection, and belief. One where students are known, supported, and challenged to become their best selves.
At the School District of Lancaster, we honor educators and mentors who understand that learning and growth happen through relationships. Coach Steve “Bird” Powell lived that truth every day.
The court now carries his name. The lessons he taught continue to shape lives. And the community he built will always remain his greatest victory.
