Longtime coach, USTA Kansas board member Richard Strange serves on and off the court

With the start of the 2025-26 school year just around the corner USTA Kansas is featuring Richard Strange, longtime high school tennis coach in Salina.

Richard Strange of Salina has dedicated much of his life to playing, then coaching, tennis. He’s also a longtime volunteer and member of the USTA Kansas Board. Strange continues to give back by teaching tennis to adults at Genesis Health Clubs - Salina.

Strange started playing tennis in his hometown of Lindsborg, Kansas. He would go on to play—and coach—tennis at Bethany College, where his teams won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference championship many times. He also coached at Salina Central High School.

“I coached the Bethany men’s team from 1990 to 1993 and also helped coach the boys’ Salina Central High School team from 2012 to 2021 where we won five state championships," Strange said.

His favorite tennis memories include coaching the high school state championship teams and the years he spent coaching at his alma mater. These days, Strange is deeply invested in the local tennis community in Salina.

“I’ve served on several USTA Kansas boards over the years, including as president of the Kansas District Tennis Association, league coordinator, league verifier (and more),” he said. “I’m currently working with several adults at all levels at Genesis in Salina. But the most fun is seeing brand-new students take up the game and watching them get better and better.”

In addition to his work in the community, Strange also captains a women’s team in the very popular 2.5 USTA League. Learn more about USTA Kansas league opportunities by clicking here.

“Being the captain of the 2.5 women’s team is incredibly rewarding,” Strange said. “These ladies are fun and just love to play tennis. As luck would have it, they’re heading to sectionals this year.”

Check out additional USTA Missouri Valley back-to-school articles by clicking here.