STEVE MCCONKEY PICTURES
WE HAVE MANY INDIVIDUAL PICTURES WITH OLYMPIC ATHLETES AND WON’T PUT THEM HERE TO PROTECT PRIVACY. WE HAVE WENT THROUGH ELEVEN OLYMPIC CYCLES.
Steve McConkey is the President of 4 WINDS USA, a worldwide sports ministry, mostly in track and field (4WindsUSA.com). Starting in 1981, he has worked through eleven Olympic cycles. Steve shares the gospel, encourages Christians, stands up for Olympic athletes, and gives training advice. He was a USA National Track & Field Club Coach from 1982 through 1992. Steve graduated with honors from Western Kentucky University (Master of Public Health), Minnesota State University (BS-Community Health), and Webster High School (WI). Ministry centers have been in Eugene (OR), Dallas-Fort Worth (TX), Minneapolis-St. Paul (MN), and Madison (WI). Steve was born in Des Moines (IA) and moved to NW Wisconsin after the sixth grade. In recent years, he has had over 360 worldwide radio, article, and TV interviews.
At Dunlap Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa in 1961 in kindergarten. Steve is near the wall. Picture from the Des Moines Register.
In 1967 and 1968, Steve attended Dunlap Elementary in Des Moines. He went on field trips to the Drake Relays when the track was cinder. Now the track is modern. That is where Steve’s interest in world-class track and field started. After 1968, his family moved to NW Wisconsin.
1973 Upper St. Croix Valley All-Conference team. Steve is third from the left and ran for Webster (WI) High School. He was third in the conference that is now disbanded. At that time, it was a strong conference.
Steve attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior before transferring to Minnesota State University, Mankato. He competed in cross country and track. In 1977, MSU finished third at the NCAA D2 Cross Country Championships.
From 1971 through 2019, Steve ran 70,256 miles for 48 years. That is 4.01 miles per day. Picture at Minnesota State University, Mankato and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The ministry center has been in Madison since 2006.
Graduation picture from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1980. Liz took the picture. Steve earned a BS-Community Health with honors.
Steve was a grad assistant coach at Western Kentucky University while getting his Master of Public Health with honors. The 1980 cross country team won the Ohio Valley Conference with a perfect fifteen points. Eventually, the team finished sixth at the NCAA D1 Cross Country Championships. Steve is second from the left in the back row.
Pass from the 1992 USA Olympic Track and Field Trials in New Orleans. From 1982 through 1992, Steve was a USA National Track and Field Club Coach for Athletes in Action (82-83), Lay Witnesses for Christ (83-88), and 4 Winds Christian Athletics (88-92). Athletes were ranked ninety-three times. Team centers were in Eugene (OR), Dallas-Fort Worth (TX), and Minneapolis-St. Paul (MN). After 1992, 4 WINDS USA dropped the team to work with athletes on all teams.
1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Steve and Liz are in the third row to the left. The athletes won 10 golds and 1 silver.
This original picture was lost years ago. Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich put Steve on a committee to design the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul. He helped design the Center’s track and field portion. This picture was archived in a bound book at a newspaper dated November 11, 1987.
In 1991, Steve was at the USA Track and Field Championships in New York City. This was on top of the World Trade Center. Pray for the families affected by 9/11.
Sharing with athletes at the July 4 Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta during the 1996 Olympics.
2012 USA Olympic Track and Field Trials in Oregon. Later, the USA had great performances at the Olympics in London.
2012 USA Olympic Track and Field Trials at historic Hayward Field in Oregon. Recently, this stadium was totally remodeled.
During the 2022 USA Track and Field Championships in Oregon, Steve was able to minister to America’s best athletes and coaches.
At the 2024 USA Olympic Track and Field Trials in Oregon, Steve was able to minister to 1500 of America’s top athletes. 120 made the Olympic roster for Paris. He had the opportunity to encourage Christians and share the gospel. They went on to win 34 medals at the Olympics in Paris, the most for the US since the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The 2028 Olympics will be in Los Angeles. Steve’s first Olympic ministry was at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. They have ministered through eleven Olympic cycles.
In recent years, Steve has had over 360 worldwide radio, article, and TV interviews.