Tad Taylor

Tad Taylor | ttaylor@evansvilletennis.com

Tad Taylor's love of tennis began the moment he picked up a wooden Chris Evert racquet. At the time, he was in junior high school in Grayville, Illinois where very few people were playing the sport. 

After graduation from high school, he played on the Wabash Valley College tennis team. He was there from 1982-194. It wasn't until he began his collegiate career that he received any formal training in tennis.

While playing at WVC, Taylor was recruited by Coach Bennie Purcell and offered a spot on the Murray State University tennis team. Purcell led the Race Tennis Team to 11 Ohio Valley Valley Conference titles, including a sweep in the 1980s with 10 straight wins. From 1985 until 1987, Taylor was a member of these teams. 

In 1988 Taylor earned his USPTR certification at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in Hilton Head. He is a USTA 3.0 to 7.0 verifier. 

Uppn graduation from MSU, Taylor began his coaching career. From 1989-199, he was a teaching pro at South Bend Racquet Club. While South Bend, he oversaw Adidas Summer Tennis Camps at the Notre Dame Tennis Center from 1995-1999.

Taylor was a teaching pro at Elizabethtown Swim and Fitness Club from 199-2001, and at Ramey Tennis Center in Owensboro from 2001-2003. Additionally, he was the tennis coach at Kentucky Wesleyan University from 199-2001. 

For more than 25 years, Taylor taught private and group lesson Southern Illinois. 

Most recently, Taylor played on amen's 4.0, 55 plus team that reached the finals in Asheville, N.C. 

Taylor lives in southern Illinois with his wife, Heather, and son, Cannon. Cannon is on the North High School team.