Seth Harris June 10, 2009

Tyler's vision for Central tennis

Armed with over 30 years of experience as a coach and player, Steve Tyler gave up a full-time position with State Farm Insurance in Colorado and took over the Central College tennis program in early 2009.  

A native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Tyler was an assistant at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colo. from 2001-03 and a head coach at Central High School in Grand Junction from 2005-08 before coming to Central.

 How/why did you become involved in coaching?

I got into tennis after playing basketball; when I stopped playing basketball I picked up a racket and I just fell in love with it. I’ve taught lessons and just been around tennis ever since. I’ve just never been in a position to until now to go into coaching full time after 28 years with State Farm. Coaching tennis for me is an opportunity to go where my interest and my love really is. I guess I just like the feel of being on the court, the spirit of other tennis players. You could say part of my interest is being an advocate of physical fitness and mental agility. I hope that I continue to learn from the players and educate them about the game as long as I’m around it.

What is your coaching philosophy?

I think it’s all about balance. I look at tennis to be another sort of classroom where we can expand our knowledge base. I think that tennis always has to be an enhancement to the classroom education that Central is giving the student-athletes. I believe that every time a player steps off the court they should feel better than they did before they stepped on the court and that they should always be having a good time when they are playing.

What do you want student-athletes to experience at Central?

It’s important that they know the tennis program is secondary to the classroom experience. The experience on the court should assist the athlete in both their mental and physical fitness. It should be a more holistic experience for them to be a part of the tennis program. The experience should leave them with more energy rather than less and allow them to stretch their horizons.

What kind of student-athletes do you want to work with?

I want student-athletes with a big appetite. I like to work with people who are yearning for knowledge, that love both being on the court and in the classroom, that want to continue to learn more about the game; people that are court-rats.

What do you think the tennis program can offer student-athletes beyond the classroom?

I think out student-athletes get to continue experiencing the thrill of competition and the enjoyment of physical fitness that you don’t get from simply being a student. It’s a different enjoyable experience from just being on campus and taking classes. The experience of being on a college varsity team, there’s nothing like it. You only get to put on the uniform so many times and it’s a real special experience. Like I tell our players, being a student-athlete at Central is a much different experience than being a student at a large state school where you won’t get the same competitive and physical opportunities. I think it leads to being more well-rounded. I think you leave with a bigger appetite for life if you choose to be a student-athlete at Central.

What are your goals for the program?

I will be constantly working hard to provide a great tennis experience at Central College. Specifically, in the short term, I want to ratchet up our performance another rung and really push ourselves consistently into being one of the top two teams in the conference, and do that without losing any of the enjoyment. Hopefully we’ll be adding to the enjoyment of tennis. Long term, I would like to see a continued commitment to excellence in the program and would like to see us keep very high ethical standards for everyone that comes through.

Who and what have you tried to model your coaching after?

My college basketball coach, Kent Finanger, was very instrumental in the way I view my role. He was very good at painting great mental pictures for players. I also think that my reading of Zen and my tai chi has played an important role in my coaching. It’s helped in developing my understanding of flexibility, balance, relaxation and focus. I think it contributes to a different slant than what most people have experienced in sports.