Steve Savarese is best known as the current Executive Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association but prior to his role with the AHSAA, the Leeds native served for 33 years in athletics and education. Savarese was born in Glencoe, New York and he grew up in Leeds.

Following graduation from Leeds high school he would attend Southwestern College, Kansas and receive his degree in 1974. Savarese got his Masters of Education degree from Wichita State before embarking upon his coaching career.

Savarese accepted a coaching position at Douglass High School in Kansas following college where he remained for the next seven years. His team won a State Championship in 1978.

In 1982, he would return to his native Alabama by taking the head coaching job at Ensley High School. He led the Yellow Jackets for the next three seasons before taking over at Benjamin Russell in 1985.

Over the next twelve seasons the Wildcats would finish each year with a winning record and qualify for the playoffs nine times. His 1988 squad finished the regular season undefeated. His Wildcats won seven region championships during his tenure with the program.

In 1996 Savarese took over at Daphne and would lead the Trojans for the next seven years. His record at Daphne was a stellar 77 wins and 14 losses and four region titles.

The 2001 team, led by Patrick White at quarterback, finished with a perfect 15-0 record including a 48-21 win over Hoover in the State Championship game. The 2000 and 2003 teams reached the Super Six only to lose to Hoover each time.

In 2004, Coach Savarese moved across the bay to take over the reins at McGill-Toolen. In three seasons the Yellow Jackets went 25-11 making the playoffs following each season. His overall coaching record stands at 287-84 including his stint in Kansas. His Alabama high school football coaching record is 220-74.

He was the head coach in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile and the North-South All-Star game in Montgomery. He was also named the ASWA Coach of the Year in 2001 and was elected to the AHSAA Hall of Fame in 2010.

Savarese became only the fourth full-time AHSAA director after the retirement of Dan Washburn, who had served since 1990. Bubba Scott served from 1966-90.

The late Cliff Harper became the first AHSAA head in 1948 with the establishment of a State Office in Montgomery. Prior to that, Sellers Stough of Birmingham had served as director on a part-time basis.