Steve Bischof's coaching legacy: 58 seasons, 8 state titles, 445+ wins and counting

When Steve Bischof first started teaching in Elkhorn, Neb., back in 1980, he also coached middle school football, boys’ and girls’ basketball, and track.

Later, while Bischof was coaching girls’ basketball at Elkhorn High School, the superintendent called to ask him if he played tennis. Bischof said he did, and he wondered if the superintendent wanted to play.

“He said he didn’t want to play,” Bischof said. “He was looking for a girls’ tennis coach, and would I like to apply for the job. That was 33 years ago.”

Bischof, a USTA Coaching member, became the varsity girls’ tennis coach at Elkhorn High School in 1995. Andrea (Parrish) Mueller played for him from 1998-2001. She remembered him as very encouraging and motivating, and she still remembers his words during her USTA matches today.

“Before every match he used the phrase ‘play hard, have fun,’ which stuck with my family for 25 years,” she said. “My mom continues to use it for my tennis matches today and for my kids’ sporting events as well. My brother was fortunate to have also had Coach Bischof and played with his son, Taylor. I love that he’s still coaching.”

Bischof and Brad Clarke started the boys’ tennis program at Elkhorn High School in 1999. Bischof became the boys’ and girls’ tennis head coach at Elkhorn South High School when it opened in 2010.

Bischof retired from teaching in 2017 after 38 years. He coached tennis for two years at Omaha Marian and coached boys’ tennis for one year at Omaha Roncalli. When Elkhorn North High School opened in 2020, he came back to coach tennis at Elkhorn South.

He’s had many special moments over the years, but one in particular stands out.

“When we won the state championship in 2011 and became the first girls’ team in any sport to win a state title in the first year of the school’s existence,” Bischof said. “My son’s wedding was the next day. I brought the state trophy to the rehearsal dinner.”