Mount Vernon tennis coach honored with trip to U.S. Open Presidential Box

Steve Tier has been giving back to the youths of Knox County for many years.

The coach of the Mount Vernon High School boys’ and girls’ teams started the Kokosing Valley Community Tennis Association in 2009 after attending a workshop. There he found out about a program that supplied smaller rackets and balls, as well as had had a smaller court with a shorter net to help youths properly learn the game.

KVCTA has blossomed over the years, attracting many youths to the game and, in turn, helping grow the high school program he coached.

Recently, Tier was honored for his grassroots approach to growing the sport of tennis in Knox County with the trip of a lifetime. Tier was one of several honorees who were treated to a trip to sit in the Presidential Box at the U.S. Open in New York City.

“It all started with the new president of the USTA. He has a goal; they call it 35 by 35. He wants to get 35 million people playing tennis by 2035. Right now, about 25 million people play. He believes that growth is going to come at the grassroots level, and he wants to promote that idea,” Tier said. “I guess, I really don’t have the full story on this, he wanted to invite people to come to that (Presidential) box that have helped with growing tennis in the grassroots. I’ve been working with the USTA since 2009 and someone nominated me because of that and I got an email, which I thought was spam or a hoax. I called a couple my buddies and asked, ‘Is this real?’ They said, ‘Yeah, it’s real.’ That’s how I got invited.”

Tier and his wife, Kristine, got to spend a full day at the major tennis tournament, enjoying all the amenities usually only made available to celebrities and people of importance in the world of tennis. From the waiters in tuxedos to a fancy meal in the suite to seats close enough to almost touch the players, it was a dream come true for Tier and his wife.

“Usually, I have words to describe things, but when I try to describe this, I just have to really think because, this is going to sound melodramatic, but basically, it is the US Open’s version of the royal box at Wimbledon. Not everybody gets to go there. Usually, it’s celebrities and all these people,” Tier said. “All these people in tuxedos, lined up, holding plates of food and drinks. I said I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

The Tiers got the opportunity to watch professionals like Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev practice before their matches, visited all the shops that surround the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, came back for a dinner in the suite, then were able to watch matches in the mixed doubles’ tournament that were played at Arthur Ashe Stadium. They also saw players like Andre Agassi, Coco Gauff, Venus Williams and John McEnroe play in an event called Stars of the Open.

“There’s so much to do there. Even if you don’t like tennis, it is a great place to go. It’s like a fair. It’s like going to Ohio State football games. Even if you don’t like football, there’s enough going on it’s going to keep you entertained,” Tier said. “We’re just sitting there, soaking it in. Somebody comes down in a tuxedo and says, ‘Would you like some champagne?’ We’re just there shaking our heads. This is a once in a lifetime experience. I’m just very thankful that somebody thought enough of what I’ve done, to nominate me. It’s a national honor. That is hard for me to wrap my head around, here in little old Mount Vernon, Ohio.”

While the sights, sounds and festivities associated with the tournament were incredible, Tier felt he received so much more from the trip. He was surrounded by people who loved tennis just as much as he does and got the opportunity to chat with them about what they are doing as coaches and volunteers with their tennis programs.

“One side effect of this, was we got to meet so many people from around the world and the country that are just enthused about tennis. I’m not often around a big group of people who like tennis that much. To talk and find out what they’re doing; get ideas from them; give them some ideas; that was half the fun in meeting all the people,” Tier said. “Grateful doesn’t seem to be a big enough word to say how I feel about it. It’s just beyond anything I ever comprehended doing. … It’s nice to be recognized. It wasn’t something I sought. For someone to take the time to nominate me and then get chosen, was more than you really would dream of.”