This Friday there will be an annual FHC Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Elliott Pearce has the honor to be inducted this year for his past accomplishments.  TCT had the honor to do an Q & A Pearce about the ceremony and his past and current career.

TCT: What does this nomination mean to you?

Pearce: This nomination means a lot – I am very proud to be a FHC Ranger and to be selected to their Athletic Hall of Fame is very special to me.

TCT: What is it like being nominated for things that you did in the past, that you may have forgotten about but is still remembered by others?

Pearce: Being selected for many of years of service is very nice, but I also have many great memories to the 36 years that I taught at FHC.

TCT: Have you ever taken a moment to remember the moment where you won Division 2 Team State Championship in 1998? What did that feel like?

Pearce: I remember that moment very well – we knew if we could get this last point of the 3rd doubles final that we would be State Champs, so when Ted James hit the winning shot down the line, I started yelling with the rest of the team and then I got a big water jug dumped onto my back – very cold but I loved every moment.

TCT: What did you have to do to achieve that moment and goal?  and What did you have to give up for this moment?

Pearce: I started the Boys tennis program back in 1969 and retired in 2002.  I coached the Girls program in 1983 and coached until 2001.  I did have to give up a lot of time on weekends, because as we got better, we had to travel to all parts of the state to play the teams we could, but it paid off for us and we got much better and this helped when we would play these good teams, we started to win more than our share!

TCT: Did this achievement take you anywhere further in your life?

Pearce: Being a tennis coach has opened many doors for me as I moved thru my career.  I held many positions with the Michigan Coaches Association and helped the State Athletic Association by serving on many of their committees which allowed our region to have some input as to the way the state handled the tennis programs.

TCT: When winning coach of the year what your first initial reaction?

Pearce: I have been very fortunate to have been selected as both the boys and girls coach of the year – I am very proud that I was recognized by my fellow coaches.  I was also selected to the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame in 1991. I also was twice a finalist for the National Coach of the Year.  So, you can see I have a lot to be proud about, and I am very honored to have been selected for these awards.

TCT: Anything else you’d like to add?

Pearce: I can only say that I was very lucky to have been a teacher at FHC and to be a coach for many years – I have a lot of great memories of students and athletes that I was fortunate to work with.  It will be a real honor to be inducted into the FHC Athletic Hall of Fame and also very special to have the ’98 team also be inducted with me.  This is a very special group who took advantage of a great draw at the State meet and played to be best of their abilities.  Lots of great coaches can go through their whole career and not win a State Championship, so I was very excited and proud to actual win that State Championship!