Steve Clayton

In his senior year at Palma High in 1976 Steve Clayton was the class valedictorian and Athlete of the Year. Fifteen years later he returned to teach, coach and become the school’s athletic director for the next 23 years to help Palma become one of the strongest athletic programs in the Central Coast Section. In 2010 he was the CCS Athletic Director of the Year, in 2011 he was awarded the CCS Distinguished Service Award and in 2012 was honored as the California Interscholastic Athletic Director of the Year. He played a key role in presenting the equity league concept to the Southern Conference of the CCS, and as head of the Palma Athletic Council organized the prime fund-raising activities for the school that helped fund a synthetic track and turf football field and a new hardwood gym floor. In May of 2014 the Palma Board of Directors named the school’s gym after Steve Clayton, who passed in December of 2013.