Missouri Valley / Missouri

Former Branson musician, college professor Sean Terry begins role as USTA Missouri president

Manon Eilts | May 28, 2025

New USTA Missouri President Sean Terry is excited to work alongside district staff and volunteers to increase the number of Missourians playing tennis.

Sean Terry has begun his tenure as the new president of USTA Missouri. A lifelong tennis player, Terry is excited about the opportunity, bringing new ideas and objectives for district-wide inclusion and collaboration.

“My biggest goal is to grow the number of Missourians who have access to tennis courts across all ages,” Terry said. “Especially in some of the more rural areas, like south, southeast and north Missouri. Ideally, we can apply for and receive some grant funding to refurbish and even build new courts in some of these areas.”

Tennis is a Family Affair

Both of Terry’s parents were tennis players, and growing up in rural Southern California, many of his early years consisted of playing wall ball.

“We lived out in the country, so for a long time I didn’t get the opportunity to play,” Terry said. “It wasn’t until we had moved to Joplin my junior year that I played for my high school team.”

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Terry’s family moved once more to Neosho, Missouri, where he finished high school. Despite a late start to competitive tennis, he was able to play in the No. 1 spot his senior year.

A few years ago he was introduced to USTA Missouri through his wife, who began playing in USTA Leagues at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield. Three years ago both of them signed up for a mixed doubles league, and he hasn’t looked back.

“We really enjoyed it,” Terry said. “We made a lot of friends and really got into the community for the first time.”

Terry and his wife’s 7.0 mixed team from Springfield progressed to the 55 & Over Mixed Invitational in Scottsdale, Arizona this March to represent USTA Missouri Valley on the national level. The team went 2-1 at nationals and was one of three squads from USTA Missouri to advance to nationals as part of a strong league year for the district.

Sean Terry and his USTA Missouri teammates represented the district and USTA Missouri Valley at the 55 & Over Mixed Invitational in Scottsdale.

Sean Terry is a lifelong tennis player who began playing in USTA Missouri leagues a few years ago after his wife introduced him to the district's many offerings.

Sean Terry and his USTA Missouri teammates represented the district and USTA Missouri Valley at the 55 & Over Mixed Invitational in Scottsdale.
Sean Terry is a lifelong tennis player who began playing in USTA Missouri leagues a few years ago after his wife introduced him to the district's many offerings.

“Overall it was a wonderful experience to see so many talented people committed to a tennis lifestyle and to see that our Midwest league belongs with the best in the nation,” Terry said.

Terry’s daughter, Allison, as well as his son, Patrick, play tennis, and both played for Kickapoo High School in Springfield. Patrick is a walk-on for William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri.

Terry’s parents made their living as traveling musicians. They were a duet at night clubs in the 1960s and 1970s. When Terry and his two sisters were old enough, Terry said his mother decided they should all be in a band together like the Partridge Family.

They bought an old retrofitted bus to travel around and play. They had a show in the old Owen Theatre in downtown Branson, Missouri in 1980-81 called “The Great American Musical Review.”

“It was really fun to play to an audience every night,” Terry said. “But I have always said that it is tough to work other teenage jobs like weekend janitor or busboy at Red Lobster after you have been on a stage getting applauded every three minutes for your first job!”

Grounded in his Career

Terry was a full professor of geography and environmental studies at Drury University, where he designed and taught classes based on environmental science and sustainability. His work included field classes to Greece and Hawaii, and local field days to test water quality in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas.

After Drury he taught as an adjunct professor of geography at Missouri State University. He was the Missouri director of geography education for the National Geographic Society from 2004-09. In that role he held workshops to support Missouri K-12 teachers building lessons to engage their students while meeting Missouri education standards.

Terry also hosted an annual conference in Columbia for teachers, and he attended the annual National Geographic Meeting in Washington, D.C. On two occasions he served as a lobbyist for National Geographic to support geography education funding.

Terry said he is excited to be working alongside his USTA Missouri staff to make tennis more accessible to Missourians.

“I’ve met the Missouri district staff before, and I’m familiar with a lot of the great work they’ve done,” Terry said. “And so knowing that there was good support locally for USTA and that I would have people around me who I knew I could trust and share ideas with was what did it for me.”

View more about USTA Missouri’s leadership by clicking here. Stay up to date on USTA Missouri news by clicking here.

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