January 15, 2009
(release courtesy of Central College sports information)

PELLA, IOWA . . . Steve Tyler is Central College’s new women’s and men’s tennis coach.

A Fort Dodge, Iowa native, Tyler has lived in Colorado and Wyoming since 1978 and has more than 30 years experience as a coach and amateur player. He’s been the head girls’ tennis coach at Central High School in Grand Junction, Colo. since 2005 and became head boys’ tennis coach last year as well. Tyler was an assistant coach at Mesa State College (Colo.) from 2001-03. He is also leaving an insurance agency he owns in Grand Junction.

At Central High School Tyler took over a girls’ program with 14 players in 2005 and in three seasons built it into a squad with 40 competitors. Central High School had four Class 5A state tournament qualifiers last May, a first for the school.

Tyler replaces Bryan Mours, who resigned in late December after one-and-a-half years.

Tyler competed as a walk-on at the Univ. of Iowa, where he graduated with honors in 1974. He earned a master’s degree at the Univ. of Northern Colorado.

“I’m a tennis junkie,” Tyler said. “I spend a lot of my day preparing for practice and being on the court for Central High School, but also racing around running an insurance agency. This move will allow me to focus solely on coaching the team.”

He has lofty goals for the Dutch women’s and men’s programs.

“The Central athletics department’s mission statement lays it out,” he said. “It’s about having a program based on fun, sportsmanship and playing at the absolute highest level that we can achieve. I want to run a program that’s steeped in all of that and we want to practice and play daily with those values in mind.

“If we do that, the wins will come. We’ll compete at the very top of the Iowa Conference and hopefully on a national basis.”

The unveiling of Central’s newly enhanced tennis facilities coincides with Tyler’s arrival. After resurfacing the college’s six outdoor courts last summer, installation was completed Thursday on a new Mondo SX surface for four new courts in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse.

“Central’s facilities can compete with anybody’s across the country,” Tyler said.

Tyler has a simple recipe for his players’ improvement.

“Spend time on the court,” he said. “There’s no substitute for hard work.”

A United States Professional Tennis Association certified teaching professional, Tyler remains an accomplished player. He has won numerous honors competing in sectional and national tournaments, including a runner-up finish in the Inter-Mountain Sectional Men’s 50 tourney in 2004. Tyler has also frequently competed successfully in father-son and father-daughter tournaments, attaining the No. 1 ranking in Colorado father-daughter teams. His son Matt is an assistant tennis coach at Colgate Univ. while daughter Hilary is an assistant at St. Lawrence Univ. after a stellar playing career at Colorado State Univ.

“We’re thrilled to have Stephen join us and begin his second career,” athletics director Al Dorenkamp said. “He’s been around tennis most of his life as a player and as a coach and we’re excited to have him on board.

“He’s got a lot of experience and a lot of Iowa connections. It’s been a dream of his to make tennis his full-time career. I think the student-athletes and recruits will find he has a real love for the game as well as a passion for helping them grow and develop.”

Tyler inherits a Central program that saw the men’s and women’s squads each finish third in the Iowa Conference last spring and fall, respectively. Central’s women had four all-conference performers at the league tournament in October. The Dutch men have captured 14 conference titles and have placed in the league’s top three 15 consecutive years.

The Dutch open the season with a triangular Jan. 30-31 in Decorah. Central christens its new indoor courts in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse with matches against Simpson College and Graceland University Feb. 21.

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