Steve Henry selected for induction into 2026 USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame

Longtime tennis player, provider and volunteer Steve Henry has been selected for enshrinement into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame.

Henry — who served as president of both USTA Missouri Valley and USTA Oklahoma — becomes the 151st member of the section’s Hall of Fame as the lone inductee for the Class of 2026.

Henry, who passed away on March 21, 2023 at the age of 62, will be posthumously inducted on Dec. 5 at the Olathe Conference Center in Olathe, Kan., as part of the USTA Missouri Valley Annual Conference occurring Dec. 3-5.

Established in 1986, the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame recognition represents the section’s highest honor awarded to individuals who have gone above and beyond for the sport of tennis.

Henry did just that. An avid tennis player beginning at 18, Henry hit the courts in Oklahoma City five to six times a week for the ensuing 12 years. And following his retirement from General Motors in 2006, Henry’s second career arc was tennis-centered.

Henry managed Earlywine Tennis Center beginning in 2007 before becoming facility director of Oklahoma City Tennis Center in 2009. It was a full-circle moment for Henry, who worked front desk at the facility and played there for about 40 years before becoming its director.

During his tenure at OKC Tennis Center, Henry oversaw major upgrades — including the addition of indoor courts and a pro shop — while elevating the complex’s status as a top tennis destination.

“He made tennis better in Oklahoma,” said Tim Ritchie, OKC Tennis Center director. “He made this facility better for Oklahoma City and its clientele and its professional staff here. He was the backbone of this organization by far.”

Henry was the tournament director for 100-plus events at OKC Tennis Center, including Pro Circuit and national junior and adult tourneys. He ran the Oklahoma high school state tennis championships, taking one of the largest tennis events in the state to unprecedented heights.

Henry joined the USTA Oklahoma Board of Directors in 2008, which jumpstarted a decade and a half of volunteer service to the sport. That culminated with Henry becoming president of USTA Missouri Valley at the beginning of 2023. Henry additionally served on three USTA national committees: Junior Team Tennis, Junior Competition and Adult League.