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| Holden releases tennis book |
By: By JEFF WALD/Sports Editor
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Posted: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:56 pm
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NORTHFIELD — Jim Holden went from knowing virtually nothing about tennis to breathing, eating and sleeping the sport.
The Northfield resident, despite having no playing experience or knowledge of the game, agreed to become the Northfield High School boys tennis coach in 1971.
Little did he know that it would ignite a passion for the sport that he otherwise would’ve never seen coming. After years of service and dedication to tennis in Minnesota, Holden decided to give back to the game he loves.
Five years into retirement, Holden finished a book about tennis in Minnesota titled “Tennis in the Northland: A History of Boys’ High School Tennis in Minnesota.” He celebrated by having a signing party for the book last week.
Holden has been working on the book for the last 10 years, spending an average of three to for hours every morning writing. He was an English teacher for his day job and decided to honor Minnesota tennis with this book.
“I really enjoyed coaching tennis,” Holden said. “I met great people and coached some great kids. I felt a call to give something back to the game of tennis, and I always wanted to write a book. This was the end result.”
Holden grew up playing baseball and basketball at Sherburn High School and eventually moved on to Augsburg College. Despite a lack of any experience in tennis, he became the NHS boys tennis coach in 1971.
Under his guidance, the Raiders made five state tournament appearances and finished as high as third in 1978. he also coached 1976 doubles champions Andy Ringlien and Tim Ross, as well as 14 other individual state tournament entrants. Nine of those came in doubles and five were in singles. Holden coached Northfield for 17 years and amassed a 237-82 record.
“I had guys on the team when I started who knew more about tennis than I did,” Holden said. “They were really committed to playing in the off-season, and that’s what made the program successful. I really worked at it, practiced and went to clinics to become a better coach.”
Holden’s book is about Minnesota’s high school tennis champions and the coaches who helped them become successful. It’s a comprehensive 75-year history, beginning in 1929, which was the first year a state tournament was held.
The book features narratives of all the high school singles and doubles champions, sketches of prominent Minnesota tennis families, teaching professionals, patrons and media reporters, and stories of successful teams.
“This volume is a remarkable history of high school tennis in our state — a must read for all of us connected with Minnesota tennis in any way,” said Jerry Noyce, a former University of Minnesota men’s tennis coach, in a press release about the book.
Holden held a launching party for his book signing on Thursday, June 13 at the Northfield Public Library.
“It’s the definitive and complete history of Minnesota high school tennis,” said Mark Wheaton, the 1974 state doubles champion, a two-time singles champion and former player at the University of Minnesota, also in a press release for the book. “It will come to be recognized as the bible of Minnesota high school tennis.”
Holden’s passion for tennis has now turned into a literary experience that now everyone can enjoy.
— Jeff Wald can be reached at 645-1111 or jwald@northfieldnews.com. |
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