Beloved: New Bern coach Lovette remembered by players, coaches for compassion
The New Bern High School community lost one of its beloved members as coach Stephen Lovette died Monday, almost a month after turning 50.
Lovette battled cancer for the last few years.
Known to those in the community as Coach Love, he served as a physical education teacher, baseball coach and football coach off and on from 1999-2019 before transferring to J.H. Rose in Greenville.
A Facebook post from New Bern High School on Monday said, "he was most known for his ways of reaching students and never met a stranger. Anyone that was lucky enough to know Coach Love remembers his love for all and ability to light up a room. Please keep his family, friends and the NBHS Community in your thoughts."
“Coach Lovette was a one of a kind coach, but the thing that made him special was his love for the kids that he coached,” former New Bern head football coach Bobby Curlings said. “He treated the kids like his own kids. He did everything to inspire him and make them successful on the field and off the field.”
Lovette was the defensive coordinator for the Bears’ state championship teams in 2012 and 2014. He also was a baseball coach at New Bern, J.H. Rose and Hoke County. But regardless of where he coached, he was loved by his players.
“When I was in the hospital last week visiting him, all of his players were there,” former West Craven head football coach Clay Jordan said. “And all he wanted to talk to them about was about them making sure they were doing the right things in life. It was amazing. The kids loved him.”
For the last six months, Jordan visited Lovette for lunch and the two discussed football, life and their faith.
“I would get more from it then he did,” Jordan said. “He just enjoyed life and he kept going.”
And Lovette always looked after the players first.
Stephen Perry was one of those players. His senior football season in 2008 marked Lovette’s return to New Bern after some time away. Perry is now a teacher and coach at Jones Senior. He models his coaching after Lovette’s style.
“As a student athlete, we saw his compassion. He cared about us on the field and off the field,” Perry said. “I came back a few years later and even though I only played for him for one year, he knew my name and asked how I was doing.”
Luke Melton is another former New Bern player who saw Lovette’s impact, despite not playing for him. Melton played for New Bern’s 2007 state championship team.
“He was always in the community and always trying to help the school,” Melton said. “He cared about the person and not the player and he didn’t' care where you came from or what you wore.”
Jacksonville football coach Beau Williams, who worked at New Bern under his head coaching father, Chip, knew Lovette since they both attended East Carolina University. Williams agreed that Lovette was more than just a good coach.
“Love was a great guy who would give the shirt off his back for the kids,” he said. “He was a great person.”
J.H. Rose football coach Will Bland saw that the last four years that Lovette was helping the Rampants.
“Coach Lovette was the best coach you could have as far as Xs and Os because he knew what he wanted,” Bland said. “But what made him special was the way he interacted with the kids, which is how he got best from them. There were countless times he made sure the kids got home and had snacks because he was worried about their health. It was a blessing to have him for four years.”
As of Monday morning, no arrangements have been announced for Lovette's services but will be posted to the community soon.
This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Beloved: New Bern coach Lovette remembered by players, coaches for compassion
