Steve Maki

Coach Steve is a lifelong athlete who believes sports are powerful teachers of resilience, adaptability, and strength. Raised in the Tampa suburbs, he found early passion through competitive gymnastics, baseball, and hockey. At 17, he began coaching youth hockey and quickly learned the value of mentorship in shaping both athletes and people.

Steve served 24 years in the U.S. Navy, first enlisting and later graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he played for the Division II Club Hockey Team. As a commissioned officer, he deployed multiple times and led fitness programs aboard submarines, ships, and later at the Pentagon—where he ran the Command Fitness Program and led CrossFit Pentagon.

Throughout his career, Steve stayed connected to coaching—spending over a decade in CrossFit, developing youth and adult programs, and running operations for a competitive fitness league. When his son began playing hockey, Steve returned to the rink, reigniting his passion for youth development and leading to the creation of Forged by Sports, a platform focused on developing the whole athlete through character, leadership, and performance.

Steve holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins and a Master’s in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown. He’s a CrossFit Level 2 Coach, former USAG Junior Olympic Coach, and a USA Hockey Level 4 coach. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Montgomery Youth Hockey Association and is the President of the Board of Directors for Poplar Run Aquatics.