By Reid Forgrave
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The 50-year-old coach of Lakota West High School's boys soccer team died Saturday night while hospitalized. The death of Steve Cummins, also a physical education teacher at the West Chester Township school, shocked colleagues and players alike.

When the team learned of Cummins' death after defeating Centerville Saturday night, every player cried, said one senior on the team.

"He was just an awesome coach," said John Mellencamp, 18, a center-midfielder for the team. "He was a warrior. As a coach he expected everything. If you didn't give your best, he'd be upset with you."

Cummins, who spent two decades with the school district, is survived by his wife, Jill; son, Evan, a senior at Lakota East; and daughter, Caitlin, a freshman at Lakota East.

He had been in intensive care from Sunday until Thursday, but after his condition improved, doctors said he would likely be released over the weekend, said Lakota West athletic director Gerry Weisgerber.

Players said they'd planned on visiting him in the hospital today.

The funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 7393 Dimmick Rd., West Chester. School officials will meet this morning to discuss what they'll do to honor the coach

"He was an outstanding coach and an outstanding person," Weisgerber said. "It was very hard last night when we told the kids. It's a shock, and everyone is pretty well still numb."

A longtime friend of Cummins, Lakota East athletic director Jim Rouff, said Cummins would be sorely missed as a coach and a person.

"He touched so many kids' lives," Rouff said.

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E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com