For Steve Buckley, Class of 1972, St. Thomas Aquinas High School was more than just a place to earn a diploma.
It was where he built lifelong friendships, developed the values that shaped his future, and laid the foundation for success both on and off the field.
Coming from a family deeply rooted in South Florida’s Catholic school tradition, Buckley’s path to St. Thomas felt almost inevitable. “I had two brothers and two sisters who went to Catholic school, so I was pretty much destined to go,” Buckley shared. His mother even attended St. Anthony’s, the predecessor to St. Thomas Aquinas, in the late 1930s.
Once enrolled at STA, Buckley fully embraced the Raider experience, excelling both in the classroom and on the athletic field. A multi-sport athlete, he competed in football, basketball, and track during his four years, ultimately leaving the football program as the county’s leading rusher his senior year, surpassing 1,000 yards — a rare feat in that era.
But for Buckley, the true value of his time at St. Thomas extended far beyond wins and statistics.
“The team approach, the unity, the dedication — those were things I learned here,” he recalled. “We weren’t the powerhouse that St. Thomas is today, but we gelled as a group. We had confidence in each other. We each did our part.”
While today’s Raider football program is recognized nationwide for its dominance, Buckley’s era was a time of building and growth — and often, STA wasn’t expected to win against more established programs. That made the victories even sweeter.
“When I think back, some of the biggest highlights were beating teams like Deerfield and Miramar,” Buckley said. “Those schools were in a higher classification than us at the time. No one expected us to win those games — but we did.”
Those underdog victories became defining moments for Buckley and his teammates, instilling belief and unity that carried beyond the field. “It showed us what was possible when we played together and trusted each other,” he added. “Those games meant everything to us.”
That commitment to teamwork, accountability, and community helped Buckley transition from STA to the Ivy League. He earned multiple college offers, but his academic and athletic journey led him to Princeton University — a testament to the discipline and work ethic cultivated during his time as a Raider.
Looking back, Buckley credits the influence of his coaches and the broader STA culture for shaping his personal and professional life. “We had great coaches who were enthusiastic, dedicated, and taught us to play hard and do things the right way,” he said.
Decades later, Buckley remains closely connected to the place that helped launch him. He has returned to St. Thomas as a coach, continuing to invest in the next generation of student-athletes and reinforcing the same principles that defined his own experience.
“There’s a commitment here — to being a good athlete, a good sportsman, a good Christian,” Buckley emphasized. “It’s about paying it forward. That’s why so many alumni, myself included, come back to give back.”
For Buckley, the growth of STA into a national athletic powerhouse is remarkable, but the heart of the school has never changed. “When we were here, we were just kids from the local grade schools,” he reflected. “But we had something special — a community, a standard, and people who believed in us.”
Today, that legacy continues to thrive, thanks in part to alumni like Steve Buckley — a Raider for life, who carries the lessons and spirit of St. Thomas Aquinas with him every step of the way.
