Bud Stege's active love for hockey included watching the St. Louis Flyers in the 1940's and playing pond hockey as a boy. Bud coached for the Winterland Hockey Association, was one of the founders of the Rainbow Rockets, the St. Louis Elite, and the Midget Prospects. Bud's more than 40 years of coaching included six years coaching with John Wensick on the Pee Wee Quebec Team, seven years with the Rainbow Rockets, 13 years as coach and advisor for the St. Louis Junior Blues, and 13 years as coach for the St. Louis Elite. His favorite memories involved traveling to Toronto, Ontario and coaching against Canadian teams in all age levels with the Rainbow Rockets. He also fondly remembers the St. Louis Junior Blues B team playing junior varsity teams at the collegiate level in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

What kept Bud involved was helping your boys and girls skate and the fact that his family stuck by him all the times he was gone from home. "My proudest moment was when a player would say 'thanks for your help', and seeing players I coached going on to college and play as well as those who made the NHL. To me, that is what it is all about." Today Bud is still hard at work as he serves on the board for the St. Peters Spirit, and is manager and coach for the Central States Bantam team from St. Peters.