CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The 1971 hall of fame team will be honored between singles and doubles of this Saturday's UTSA match. The match will be the first home match of the spring season for men's tennis; it is set to start at 12 PM, which should lead to the team being honored around 1 PM.
"Of all the great championship teams we honor," said Coach Steve Moore, "this '71 Tarpon team is one of my favorites. They were great, number 5 in the nation. But, what stands out the most is the brotherhood and character of this group. The team unity was also hall of fame, and these guys played so hard for each other. This team never ended, and these guys remained best friends their entire lives."
"They were led by one of the great men that ever lived in this community," Moore continued. "Bob Mapes was such a great builder of character; not only while these guys played for him, but throughout their entire lives. This team represented the most rare, special combination of excellence plus character. That is what I loved about them. I can't begin to tell you the influence that Bob Mapes and Ken de Koning had on me as a young man."
Coach Steve Moore was coached by Ken de Koning during his young career. Be sure to come to out this Saturday to support the Islanders, joining us as we honor the 1971 hall of fame Tarpon team for the accomplishments they've gained throughout their career.
