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A varied and interesting career has marked Jim Van Zandt's path toward being the Kalamazoo Valley Community College women's tennis coach for the past 14 years. Van Zandt was a better than average high school tennis player who took his abilities to small school collegiate power, Kalamazoo College. While a tennis player at "K," (1956-60), Van Zandt came under the tutelage of George Acker, legendary coach and ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) Hall of Fame member. Van Zandt helped the Hornets win their 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd consecutive MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) league championship, a win streak that has now reached 64 consecutive years! Van Zandt received his BA degree from Kalamazoo College in 1960 and added an MA degree in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University in 1973. Coach Acker's positive influence was a significant factor in Van Zandt becoming a public school educator and tennis coach. Van Zandt was a teacher, coach, school bus driver, and Principal for the Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools for 30 years, from 1960 through 1990. He concluded his public school professional career as Climax-Scotts (MI) High School Principal in 1992. While Van Zandt's high school tennis coaching career only spanned 11 years, his teams had a dual match record of 150 wins and 20 losses against all size classifications of schools. His teams also won 6 MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) State Championships in '62, '63, '65, '69, '70, and '71. During the other years his teams finished 2nd four times and 5th once. At the conclusion of the 1972 season, Van Zandt became a school administrator at Galesburg-Augusta, a tenure that lasted the next 18 years. As a culmination to his Galesburg-Augusta tennis coaching career and for his tennis team's achievements, Van Zandt was selected by his coaching colleagues to be inducted into the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches' Association Hall of Fame in 1989. For his dedication to The Nationals, Van Zandt was awarded the prestigious Green Jacket award in 1987. Also awarded to VanZandt by The Nationals was the 2001 Community Service Award presented to an individual for his/her long time dedication to various aspects of tennis in the Kalamazoo area. Van Zandt has never left the Kalamazoo area tennis scene, as he has continued to be an important contributor to the USTA Boys 18 and 16 National Championships which has been held in Kalamazoo every year since 1943. His involvement began as a spectator in 1952 and quickly evolved into serving as a linesman and Umpire. John McEnroe's finals loss to Larry Gottfried in 1976 remains a highlight as one of the many significant matches he has had the privilege to umpire. While still serving as an on-court official, Van Zandt became more involved with off-court leadership in other areas. Some of those areas were site-preparation and maintenance, direction of the Feed-Ins, entry selection, and scheduling. Upon officially retiring from public education, Van Zandt has and continues to substitute teach. Less than a year after "retirement," the KVCC women's tennis coaching position opened. A friend asked Jim if he would be interested in coaching at the community college level. He discussed the nuances of the position with Athletic Director, Dick Shilts, received the support of his wife, Ellie, (who recently retired from being a Guidance Counselor with the Centreville, Michigan, Public Schools) and his adult children, daughters Stacie and Jamie and son Chad, and accepted the position when it was offered. At the conclusion of that first Fall season at KVCC in 1994, the Kalamazoo College Women's Tennis Coaching position became open. Again Van Zandt was approached about coaching the women at his Alma Mater. He enthusiastically accepted and his teams won two League Championships and one of his players qualified for the NJCAA Division II National Championships on 2 different occasions. However, in spite of the fact that both positions are "part-time," Van Zandt made the determination to reduce his tennis commitment from 10 months to 6 months by resigning as the Kalamazoo College coach and concentrating his coaching endeavors at KVCC while still serving in various capacities at The Nationals. In the 13 years that Van Zandt has coached KVCC teams, they have been MCCAA (Michigan Community College Athletic Association) State Champions 7 times ('94, '97, '98, '01, and '02), National Qualifiers 8 times ('93, '96, '97, '98, '00, '02, '03, and '04) and Region XII Champions three times ('98, '02, and '03). Twenty-three of Coach Van Zandt's players have been selected as MCCAA All-State and 12 players have earned MCCAA Academic All-State laurels. In addition, two of his players have received NJCAA Academic All American by sport recognition, and Erica Soderquist received NJCAA Distinguished Academic All American honors in 2000. In the 1994 Nationals the KVCC Women placed 10th out of 30 Community College teams who competed in Division II. At the end of that season, Van Zandt's #1 Doubles team was ranked 7th Nationally. In the 2000 Nationals, Kristen Stoner finished ranked 6th in the nation in singles; she also received NJCAA All American honors. Coach's 2003 National qualifying team also finished in 10th place out of 28 participating teams. The third flight doubles team that year, made up of Whitney Dillon and Brielynn Hanna, reached the semifinals in their flight, advancing the furthest that any singles player or doubles team has advanced in the National Tournament. Coach Van Zandt was recognized by his peers as the MCCAA Coach of the Year in '94, '97, '98, '01, and '02, and the NJCAA Region XII Coach of the Year in '98 and '02. |
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