My View/Your View: Park Tudor Tennis is in a Class by Itself

Dave Heffern likes to talk more about the present and not necessarily about what the future might bring in organized high school sports.

He said he likes to play the best and beat the best.

That’s why he doesn’t like to hear someone talk about tennis possibly one day becoming a multiclass sport.

His top-ranked Park Tudor girls tennis squad is a Class 2A team that beats Class 4A teams on a pretty regular basis, thank you. Certainly for the past four years, anyway.

And his Panthers, the winningest tennis program in this decade with five state titles, are four-time defending state champions.

Heffern, by the way, who’s in his 14th season coaching at Park Tudor, is the state’s winningest active tennis coach in terms of state championships. He’s won 11, six with the girls. North Central’s Byron Buckley, who’s been retired for several years, won 15 state titles coaching the boys.

Former coaches Tom West (Brebeuf Jesuit) and Brenda Walling (Evansville Memorial) follow Heffern with five girls state titles apiece. Among active coaches, Carmel’s Sharon Rosenburgh has won three state championships.

Heffern said he’s never liked multiclass sports, a subject he has a strong opinion about – for several reasons.

“All our competition is in upper grades – our competition is big schools and private schools,’’ said Heffern. “It’s no fun playing 2A schools just to say we win all the time. Muncie Burris has won something like 12 state titles in a row in volleyball. C’mon, what fun is that.’’

Heffern says, to him anyway, it means more to be able to win the state team title, as well as give players an opportunity to win the singles and doubles state tennis tournament titles.

The team state finals are played June 6, and the individual singles and doubles competition will be played on June 12 and 13.

“I just like having one champion, and I hope we never see that change and that we don’t see tennis become a class sport,’’ Heffern said.

“Four state champions, such as basketball, OK, right, is that really fun, or even all that meaningful? No, not to me, it isn’t. I think one true state champion means more.’’

When asked about Park Tudor’s program becoming a destination for top girls tennis players, Heffern said he does not think it’s too much of a stretch to refer to the north side Indianapolis school as such.

“We have great facilities, great courts; we’ve become very competitive . . . so, no, not a stretch to say it’s a destination if a tennis player is looking for private school with a top-notch program,’’ Heffern said. “They’ll find such a program at our school.’’

Heffern said that Park Tudor also has a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and great crowds.

And possibly most important, Park Tudor also has built a foundation that’s all about tradition.

“I told the folks at the school that, for us to become more competitive and win state championships, we need better facilities. That’s the way it is now . . . that’s the way we want to do it at Park Tudor,’’ he said.

Yep, quite a success story, indeed. One that may have yet to write the final chapter.

Mark Morrow is an online columnist for VYPE High School Sports Magazine, Central Indiana. He can be reached at mediamarko@sbcglobal.net or by leaving a comment.


Most Girls Tennis State Championships
Total-School-Years

12 North Central (Indpls.) 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2003-04

6 Park Tudor 1997-98, 1999-00, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08

5 Brebeuf Jesuit 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1983-84

5 Evansville Memorial 1990-91, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96

3 Carmel 1988-89, 1989-90, 2002-03

Most Girls Tennis State Appearances
Total-School-Years

14 North Central (Indpls.) 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2003-04

9 Evansville Memorial 1975-76, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1997-98, 2004-05

8 Munster 1974-75, 1976-77, 1979-80, 1993-94, 1996-97, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08

7 Homestead 1984-85, 1986-87, 1988-89, 1994-95, 1995-96, 2003-04, 2006-07

7 Park Tudor 1979-80, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08

6 Brebeuf Jesuit 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1983-84

4 Carmel 1980-81, 1988-89, 1989-90, 2002-03

4 South Bend Adams 1974-75, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80