Steinmeyer Inducted into Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

Longtime Jefferson City High School tennis coach Dave Steinmeyer was recently inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Steinmeyer — who is considered “Mr. Tennis” in mid-Missouri — was enshrined on April 7 as part of the Women’s Sports Luncheon at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center in Springfield.

Steinmeyer coached at Jefferson City High School from 1976 to 1998, amassing a 447-107-2 record for a winning percentage of .806. Two of his Jays’ girls’ teams captured state titles (1987 and 1993), while five others finished in the top three of state.

One of his student-athletes, Kristen Jordan, earned three singles state championships. Steinmeyer also coached two doubles state championship teams: Debbie Massengale/Laura Steinmeyer as well as Massengale/Julie Pemberton.

On the boys’ tennis side, Steinmeyer led the Jays to top-four finishes on five different occasions. Jefferson City finished second in Missouri in 1991. Matt Scott and Jake Easter claimed a doubles title.

“We had kids who wanted to play in the Missouri Valley or wanted to play on a high school team. I made them keep a record of the number of days in a row they practiced,” Steinmeyer said during his induction ceremony. “Some of them got up to 160, 180 days. And, of course, this builds my program and the other programs in the community. It was a wonderful, rewarding experience.”

Steinmeyer’s prep coaching career started in 1956 at Webster Groves High School in St. Louis. Steinmeyer had just graduated from college and was asked of his interest in coaching a high school tennis team. He hadn’t been involved in the sport in high school or college.

Steinmeyer coached at Webster Groves High School — his alma mater — until 1966. During his tenure there, one of his doubles teams qualified for state. On the way to the state championship facility, the group stopped by Westminster College in Fulton to view the campus, and Steinmeyer ran into the college’s president.

The chance meeting led to Steinmeyer again coaching at his alma mater, as the Westminster College alum worked at the school from 1967 to 1976. In addition to coaching tennis, Steinmeyer coached basketball and handled numerous other coaching duties at Westminster.

Down the highway, Jefferson City school officials were paying attention. Steinmeyer had heard the high school was searching for a tennis coach.