Steve Henry was born in Oklahoma City. Once he began playing tennis at the age of 19, he never stopped! Steve quickly immersed himself in the game of tennis, competing in multiple tournaments as well as USTA league play for 41 years. He participated in many district, sectional, and national USTA league championships.
His passion for tennis continued to grow, leading him to pursue a career operating the Earlywine Tennis Center in 2007 and accepting the position of Facility Director at the Oklahoma Tennis Center in 2009. Here he oversaw numerous USTA tournaments at the local, section, and national levels while mentoring many young players as a tennis instructor. He also volunteered his time with First Serve OKC. Two of Steve’s most beloved tournaments to direct were the Boys and Girls High School State Championships each May. He was proud to welcome over 2,000 spectators each day of play to the Oklahoma City Tennis Center.
Steve’s investment with the USTA went beyond being an active player and tournament director. For 16 years he served on multiple USTA committees, volunteering his time to developing youth and adult tennis within Oklahoma and the Missouri Valley. Most notably, Steve was named USTA Missouri Valley President in 2023, having previously served as USTA Oklahoma President from 2013-2016.
Steve served USTA on three national committees: Junior Team Tennis, Junior Competition, and Adult League. Those 3 appointments demonstrate Steve’s service perfectly. He wanted to serve every level of competition: from juniors to adults. During time at Oklahoma City Tennis Center, he was the tournament director for more than 100 USTA tournaments, along with multiple Pro Circuit events.
Throughout his time at the Earlywine Center and OKC Tennis Center, Steve received several awards acknowledging his contributions to the game of tennis. He was named the USTA Missouri Valley Pro of the Year and the USTA Missouri Valley Manager of the Year twice. Additionally, due to Steve’s efforts the OKC Tennis Center received the USPTA Missouri Valley Facility of the Year Award in 2015 and the USTA Outstanding Facility Award in 2016.
Steve’s ultimate goal was to get people out on the tennis court no matter their age or skill level.
SCHOLARSHIP DESCRIPTION & CRITERIA
The Oklahoma Tennis Foundation awards a $2,500.00 scholarship to a high school senior who will be entering college and who has participated in high school varsity tennis during the 2023-2024 school year. The scholarship is intended to assist with tuition and is NEED-BASED. Scholarship funds will be sent to the Bursar's office at designated university.
Applicants must provide:
1. Parent/Guardian tax return (page 1 and 2 of 1040 only)
2. Official Academic Transcript
3. Two letters of recommendation from counselors, coaches, teachers, etc., relating to leadership, dedication, integrity, teamwork, etc.
4. List of tennis history, extracurricular activities, community service, and job experience (if any)
5. A well-written paragraph (500 words)—“How Will This Scholarship Help You and Your family?”
Applications will open September 15, 2024, and the deadline is November 15, 2024.
“The Missouri Valley section and district are definitely in a better place because of Steve Henry. His loss will be felt throughout the country in the tennis industry as he was instrumental in growing the game through organizations such as USTA and USPTA. He impacted many lives as a father, coach, volunteer, leader, and mentor.” — David Minihan, USTA Oklahoma Executive Director