Steve "Mac" Macinnes

Bringing Out the Best in People

They Still Call Me Coach: Bringing Out the Best in People — book cover by Steve “Mac” MacInnes

The Warrior’s Ride Isn’t Over

MY STORY • MY JOURNEY

From youth sports to professional training and mentoring, Steve “Mac” MacInnes shares the experiences that shaped his life as Coach Mac. They Still Call Me Coach is a heartfelt look at building confidence, inspiring growth, and helping people discover their own potential — on the field, at work, and in life.

MY STORY • MY JOURNEY

The Warrior’s Ride Isn’t Over

I didn’t write this book to make myself look like a hero. I wrote it because my life has taken me through places I never expected — from polio as a child and service during Vietnam to family, coaching, cancer, strokes, recovery and a mission I’m still carrying today.

Through all of it, I’ve learned that life isn’t just about surviving your own struggles. It’s about what you do with those experiences afterward. This is my story of getting knocked down, getting back up and discovering that as long as I’m still here, there is still something worth doing for someone else.

They Still Call Me Coach

Inspire — Don’t Manage: Leadership Through Inspiration — book cover by Steve “Mac” MacInnes

Leadership Through Inspiration

Inspire — Don’t Manage

Leadership begins with helping people believe in what they can become. In Inspire — Don’t Manage: Leadership Through Inspiration, Steve “Mac” MacInnes shares lessons from military service, coaching, corporate training, and veteran leadership. Through personal stories, he explores leading by example, building confidence, developing people, and inspiring others to carry the torch.

Available now in Kindle and paperback.

The Silent War: The Story of the 1876th Communications Squadron in Vietnam — book cover by Steve “Mac” MacInnes

The Story of the 1876th Communications Squadron in Vietnam

The Silent War

Behind every mission was a message that had to reach the right people at the right time. In The Silent War, Steve “Mac” MacInnes recalls the airmen of the 1876th Communications Squadron who kept the communications lifeline moving across Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. From training and Clark Air Base to the guarded communications center at Tan Son Nhut and his final service at Andersen, this personal account honors the discipline, accuracy, and teamwork behind a mission that never stopped.

Available now in Kindle and paperback.

The Warrior Carries It Forward: A Life of Service, Coaching, and Leadership — book cover by Steve “Mac” MacInnes

A Life of Service, Coaching, and Leadership

The Warrior Carries It Forward

Passing the torch does not mean I have to stop serving. In The Warrior Carries It Forward, Steve “Mac” MacInnes brings together The Silent War, They Still Call Me Coach, and Inspire—Don’t Manage. From wartime communications to coaching, teaching, and leadership, these stories explore a lifelong commitment to helping others grow, leading by example, and carrying the mission forward.

Paperback: $19.99 · Hardcover: $25.00

The Uniform Came Off. The Mission Didn’t.

When I came home from Vietnam, I thought I could simply leave the war behind and move forward. But some experiences stay with you. I built a family, worked, coached, mentored others and kept going, even when I didn’t fully understand everything I was carrying.

Years later, life brought a different kind of fight through cancer, strokes, surgeries and recovery. Through it all, Kari stood beside me, and I began to understand something that has shaped the way I live today: surviving your own battles matters, but so does using what you’ve been through to help someone else through theirs.

WHY I KEEP GOING

The Mission Continues

My service didn’t end when I took off the uniform. Over the years, I found new ways to serve — through coaching, mentoring, veteran leadership, advocacy and simply being there when someone needed help. Today, my mission is to use what I’ve lived through to encourage others, support my fellow veterans and remind people that getting knocked down doesn’t mean the journey is over.

VETERANS HELPING VETERANS

When I reconnected with the VFW, I found something I had been missing for years — the brotherhood of veterans helping veterans. I’ve seen firsthand how much it can mean to have someone listen, help you find the right resources or simply remind you that you’re not facing the fight alone.

COACH. MENTOR. LEADER.

Whether I was on a soccer field, a basketball court, at work or serving in the VFW, one thing always stayed the same: I wanted to help people grow. That is what being “Coach Mac” has always meant to me — not just teaching the game, but helping someone become stronger and more confident in themselves.

AWARENESS & ADVOCACY

My own health battles taught me how important awareness can be, especially for veterans. I began speaking out about bladder cancer and toxic exposure, working with BCAN and talking directly with veterans who needed information and support. If my experience can help someone ask the right question, seek help sooner or know they’re not alone, then sharing it matters.

HOPE & PURPOSE

I’ve been knocked down more than once in my life. Polio. War. Cancer. Strokes. Surgeries. Recovery. But I’m still here, and I believe that means something. As long as I’m able, I want to keep serving, keep encouraging and keep reminding people that there is always a choice: stay down, or get back up.

Events & Appearances
2025 — VETERAN SERVICE
Standing Watch at the Vietnam Travelling Wall July 2025 When the Vietnam Travelling Wall came near me, I volunteered to stand watch overnight. In those quiet hours before sunrise, I stood for the brothers and sisters whose names are etched there—and renewed a promise to keep serving for as long as I’m able.
2023 — ADVOCACY
Illinois State VFW Convention 2023 At the Illinois State VFW Convention, I worked alongside BCAN to raise awareness about bladder cancer and toxic exposure. I spoke with veterans, shared information and encouraged others to speak up and push for greater awareness and support.
Honor Flight — Washington, D.C.
Four-Day Honor Flight My Honor Flight gave me something I didn’t realize I was still searching for—closure. Standing at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and seeing my college roommate Michael Oliver’s name etched into the Wall was a moment I will never forget.