QHS Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Scott Stevenson ‘88

By: Katie Rodemich ’02

When Scott Stevenson was the mascot in 1987-88, he introduced the high knee move that became a signature for the QHS Blue Devil. Now, he is Dr. Scott Walter Stevenson, a successful fitness professional with a PhD in applied exercise physiology, an acupuncture license, and certifications from the ACSM and NSCA. With over 40 years of experience in the gym and three decades of personal training and online coaching, he has won multiple bodybuilding titles, including the 2009 NPC Mr. Arizona. Dr. Stevenson has also worked as a professor, academic dean, and instructor at several academic institutions and has published works in both scientific and mainstream media. He currently resides in Naples, FL., working as an author, speaker, consultant, bodybuilding coach, online educator, and podcaster.

Aside from carrying the tradition of the Blue Devil mascot, Scott was actively involved in several other extracurricular activities at QHS. He played football from ninth to twelfth grade, co-captaining the team in his senior year alongside Jim Hansen and Mark Gille.

In addition to football, Scott was a member of the QHS swim team from ninth to eleventh grade, where he co-captained the team in his junior year with Matt Hutmacher and Dan Hayden. In addition, he was a member of the Jazz Band, the Dixieland Combo, and the band and orchestra.

“In football, we were not a winning team my senior year. In fact, we started what I believe what was to be become (at one point) the longest losing streak in Illinois high school football history (or so I heard),” said Scott. “However, in retrospect I realize that coming up short, and most importantly, not giving up, may build more character in the long run than a string of ‘glorious successes.’

“As the defensive captain, I remember huddling up for the last plays of our final losing effort, without even the most remote chances of winning, and what would be the closing moments of the football ‘careers’ for nearly all of us, many of whom had played the game as an organized sport since early childhood. The huddle was merely a formality at this point, as our defensive formation was totally immaterial to the game’s unavoidable outcome. But I still get goosebumps to this day when I remember the life energy, I felt in that moment as I was screaming ‘Never give up – NEVER GIVE UP!’ to and with my teammates before we went out for the final plays.

“Now, when consulting and coaching athletes and other coaches, many whom consider failure to be anything less than a 1^st place, I feel blessed to realize what I actually ‘won’ back in those days that I can now pass along to these clients – a perspective of gratitude and perseverance gained only because I ‘lost’ so often back then, but never gave up doing my best.”

Looking back on his time as a student, Scott had profound respect for two QPS teachers.

“It’s a tie between Mr. Alan Stiegemeier for German and Dr. Bob Dittmer for Calculus, both of whom were extraordinarily knowledgeable and even more enthusiastic (and sometimes a bit eccentric) teachers in their respective areas. I went on to major in German and minor in Math in college, in part because of the flames of enthusiasm stoked by these two gentlemen. In particular, I owe Alan for the enjoyment I have derived in the past few years in rekindling my fascination with the German language, both as a hobby and professionally.”

His love of the German language that began while at student at QPS has led to many opportunities for Scott.

“I’ve been a guest on a few German podcasts now and have conducted several webinars in German. It took 30 years after finishing my undergraduate at Vanderbilt, but eventually I managed to find a way to at least put that part of my education to use professionally!

In particular, I do a good bit of podcasting as I consider it an invaluable opportunity to reach new audiences, educate and therefore fulfill my mission to help people live better, more fulfilled, and healthier lives. Relatedly, I happened upon the opportunity to be a guest on a German podcast a few years ago, after not having spoken the language regularly since 1992 when I did a practicum in Germany just after college. Since this podcast, you could say the German language has become a passionate hobby for me, with a dash of professional purpose, as I’ve now been a guest perhaps 15 times on 5 or 6 different German podcasts, and even put on a few online webinars in German on some of my favorite bodybuilding topics.”

QHS equipped Scott with the skills and knowledge to succeed in his professional and personal life from various perspectives.

“For those who have the privilege – I mean that sincerely, although it might not have always felt that way back then – high school can be one of the most formative times of life. I learned what it was to take a girl to the dance, as well as pull an all-nighter studying for a test. I formed friendships that have forever set a standard for what friendship truly should feel like and learned what it meant to excel at one endeavor and develop pride on work well done. I also come up on the losing end despite that hard work (particularly in sports), which I think helped me develop a stronger sense of modesty and perspective. I worked hard, played hard and started down the path of merging my child with my adult self during these days. During my high school years, I got to explore different aspects of who I am or could be, through athletics, academic challenges, and trying to figure out the old birds and bees thing. I’m still working on that last one!”

Scott’s most treasured memories of school revolve around the friends he made and the enduring friendships.

“I feel like I’ve lived several lives since QHS, creating small communities of friends at different epochs of my life, but the friendships that form and experiences during early adulthood years of high school have a unique lasting sentimentality that I don’t think can really be replicated later in life.”

Many of Scott’s fondest high school memories were not necessarily related to school itself but often took place during the summers. “Laughing with Jim Hansen and Chip Gerdes (RIP)… just laughing and laughing and laughing… Miss you, Gerdie!”

“I remember driving my 1976 Mercury Monarch. The car came equipped with a built in ‘smokescreen’ to ward off tailgaters (just hit the gas pedal for a blast of exhaust smoke!), and that made speeding tickets and tailgaters virtually impossible, even when driving in Quincy, a high likelihood, as it topped out at 55 mph.”

Since his late twenties, Scott has prioritized rescuing and adopting dogs. “I’ve had the honor to rescue/adopt. Typically, I have had three pups at a time over the past 25 years since finishing my PhD. Through it all my dogs Lusi, Tundra, Rusti, Blitzi, Suki, Foxi, and Jessi, as well as the other honorary members of my pack –Sunni, Maya, Lao Tzu, Arwen, Mogli, and Mat– have been my children, my best friends and the most consistent way I’ve found to express, give and receive love in my life. I dedicated my book, “Be Your Own Bodybuilding Coach” to Rusti, for being there at a time in my life when I most needed a reason to live. The sticker on the windshield of my Jeep–one of many converted dog mobiles over the years– read ‘Dog is my Co-Pilot.’ It spoke the truth then as it does to this day.”

Scott’s advice for current high school students is simple.

 “Follow your bliss: Figure out what (or if!) you want to learn or whatever it is you enjoy doing and/or getting better at, and become a student of that thing, regardless of whether it’s taught in the conventional school system or not. You may be lucky, like me, and be able to make your passion your profession, or you may just end up with a hobby you’re passionate about that makes your life more enjoyable, despite dispassionately holding down a job that just pays the bills. If you can find a way to tap into the joy of learning by figuring out what it is that truly fascinates you, I think you might experience a kind of deep happiness rooted in continually being the student (and perhaps the teacher), as opposed to trying to graduate and be done with school.”