4 days ago
'It's a family affair:' Jasper celebrates first girls tennis state title
JASPER, Ind. (WEHT) — The first girls tennis state title in school history came back home with the Jasper Wildcats Saturday. An incredible and special moment that is made that much better when you get to know tennis royalty in Jasper the Yarbroughs.
'Dad didn't know a damn thing about tennis,' Wildcats Head Coach Scott Yarbrough said. 'Guys, he couldn't hit a tennis ball. It took him ten years to learn how to feed a tennis ball. But what he believed in was hard work, dedication, and buying in, and doing it as a group.'
The standard for success not just in Jasper but in the entire state of Indiana for high school tennis Ed Yarbrough has his name cemented on the place where the Wildcats trained for a moment like this.
Nearly 900 career wins, six state title appearances with the girls team, six more trips to the finals and a 1999 state championship with the boys team, Ed Yarbrough was Jasper tennis. He passed away in 2010 after battling cancer. His son Scott took over and brought home the school's first ever girls state championship trophy.
'He would've said we did it the Jasper way,' Yarbrough said. 'And our way meant hard work, fundamentals, putting in time, kids devoted, kids dedicated, kids buying in.'
The moment was made even better when Yarbrough got to celebrate with his youngest daughter.
'It's the first team state title for Jasper in any sport,' Yarbrough said. 'It doesn't get any better than that. And then your last daughter wins a state title on the way out the door. I don't think you could write a better ending.'
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