Coach, Volunteer, Hall of Famer: Steve Henry's legacy lives on at OKC Tennis Center

Stroll through the sprawling Oklahoma City Tennis Center alongside the individuals who knew Steve Henry best, and they can’t help but gush about the improvements — from the mighty to the mundane — he made to the largest public park tennis facility in the central U.S.

Mark Allen pointed out the trees Henry planted and the shade structures he built as he walked to a garden area created to honor Henry, who passed away in March 2023 at the age of 62.

“Steve took care of the grounds like it was his own personal garden,” Allen said. “He loved the players and made certain that every court was spick and span.”

Tim Ritchie detailed the chain-link fencing and court signage Henry installed, as well as a time Henry got down on his hands and knees to fasten new windscreens. Ritchie recently ran the weed eater at 2 a.m. to sharpen up the OKC Tennis Center. He couldn’t help but smile and laugh because he knew Henry used to do the exact same thing.

“There was nothing that he wouldn’t do to make this facility look great,” Ritchie said. “He made everybody here a better tennis pro.”

Mary Buschmann discussed the six-court indoor complex and accompanying pro shop constructed during Henry’s tenure, a multimillion dollar expansion that elevated the complex’s status as a tennis destination.

“He always had a specific way he wanted things to be done, and people loved that about him,” Buschmann said. “They loved that they could count on him.”

David Minihan noted Henry’s drive and attention to detail in upgrading the facility led to it hosting several national tournaments. Henry also spearheaded the growth of the Oklahoma high school state championships, which surged from 900 attendees to 3,200 under his leadership.

“When you combined both the work ethic and the passion, it was contagious,” Minihan said. “People were just drawn to that, and they wanted to serve with him.”

Henry’s younger daughter, Ryan, recounted her dad working seven days a week coaching at the facility while not missing one of her gymnastics competitions or school events. Plucking weeds or sweeping the tennis center grounds was never beneath him.

“He would just show up every day,” she said. “He was doing a lot, you know, that people weren’t aware of.”

Jordan, Henry’s older daughter, said she and Ryan were her dad’s “little helpers,” particularly in the early days. Their tasks included counting coins, tidying bathrooms and uniformly stocking drinks.

“He’d take out the trash, pull the weeds, mow, fertilize, clean the courts, squeegee, fix the windscreens — he did it all,” she said. “He really did every bit of it. And so because he did all of it, there was a select few of us that did all of it. We’d all end up doing it together.”

Being the daughter of a tennis facility director did come with its perks, too. When a court got resurfaced or a new one was built, Henry made sure he and Jordan christened it.

“When Court 4 was added, we were right there. When Court 9 was added, we were right there. And so, that is my favorite memory,” Jordan said. “We always got to be the first people to hit on that court.”

A Lifetime of Service

Henry retired from a career at General Motors — where part of his role was inspecting vehicles for imperfections — before immersing himself in tennis in 2007.

He managed Earlywine Tennis Center prior to leading OKC Tennis Center beginning in 2009. He directed over 100 tournaments, ran the facility’s daily operations and played in USTA Oklahoma leagues at the end of his shift, just for good measure.

“That was the passion he had for tennis,” Minihan said. “He just absolutely loved our sport, and he showed it in many, many ways.”

His decade and a half of volunteerism was one such way. He served on the USTA Oklahoma Board of Directors starting in 2008 and went on to become the district’s president.