ED STEPHENS
Volunteer Tennis Coach
Ed grew up in defiance in a family of 4 boys. He graduated from Defiance High School. His favorite high school coaches were Coach Rex, the assistant HS track coach and Coach Wahl. The 7th and 8th grade football and HS Varsity Track coach. Ed attended Defiance College where he earned a degree in Business Administration. Ed
did not leave Defiance until Uncle Sam needed him in the Army and he spent a year in the US at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma before going overseas for a year in Germany. Returning home in 1965, Ed began working
at Dinner Bell. He married his wife Pam in 1969. Then, in 1973, they had a son Doug. During his retirement, Ed worked as an Associate Deputy and Court Security for the Sheriff’s Department for 10+ years. One winter, Pam bought Ed a tennis racquet for Christmas- what a gift! That began one of many trips to the courts. Ed then
entered several local tournaments in Defiance, Angola and Ft. Wayne. Tim Call and Ed were tennis competitors and sometimes entered tournaments as doubles. When Tim began coaching, Ed would go to hit with the players and then continued helping. Since this time in 2009, Ed has helped with multiple coaches in both Girls and Boys Tennis all year long regardless of the weather. Locations for practice could have been at any court when weather cooperated, or any gym or hallway available when it didn’t. He has volunteered unknown hours to help Defiance students learn tennis and improve their skills. Players love the many sayings from Ed. One of his favorites is KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. The bottom line from Ed always is - HIT MORE TENNIS BALLS!