For the past 18 seasons, Eric Hanson has roamed from court to court as Republic tennis teams competed. Tuesday, when the boys tennis season ended with a loss in the state sectionals, marked his last competition as a coach. Hanson will continue to teach, but is giving up his tennis duties next year. He coached the boys team as head coach or as an assistant for 18 seasons, and the girls team for 15.
“I love the competition,” Hanson says when asked what he’ll miss most. “I like going out there because competition brings out character, so when you go out there and you see young men and women compete, that’s important to me.”
For the past six years, Hanson has shared coaching duties with Dan Vales, who will take over the head coaching job for both the boys and girls programs next year (after serving as head boys coach for the past six seasons). Vales says Hanson’s contributions go beyond the success his teams have experienced.
“Eric has been a mentor to me on how to run a high school tennis program and I have always admired his competitive spirit. As a coaching team, with the help of many committed players, I am proud to say we have built one of the strongest, most consistent high school tennis programs in southwest Missouri,” Vales says. “But outside of the success between the lines, I am going to miss having Eric around during the numerous practices and long road trips we go on in each season. Eric has helped make those days more fun for me and the kids on the team.”
And Vales believes Hanson’s legacy as a coach reaches beyond his influence on the courts during the tennis season.
“Even more important, I have no doubt Coach Hanson has positively impacted the lives of hundreds and hundreds of young adults he has coached in 18 years of service at RHS,” Vales says.
Hanson says he’s looking forward to having more time with his family, but has enjoyed seeing so many of his players benefit from their involvement in tennis.
“At times, the time away from home … can be rough and long, but when you watch young people go out there and work at getting better, that’s pretty fun to watch.”