Katy Tinius to be inducted into the Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame
Having been involved in tennis for over fifty years, Bowling Green’s Katy Tinius, is being inducted into the USTAKY Hall of Fame on Friday, January 27, 2023, in Louisville, Ky.
Katy’s beginnings in tennis started as a twelve-year-old playing in group lessons in a public park near her home in Springfield, Ohio. The lessons helped spark her love as she picked up the sport quickly and often represented the city in matches against other cities in the region. Katy went on to play in high school and joined the boys’ team where she ranked #3 in singles and #2 in doubles. During this time, she also became an instructor for the city’s tennis program before she graduated and moved to Bowling Green.
As the first female to receive an athletic scholarship at Western Kentucky University, Katy has one of the most impressive athletic careers in tennis that WKU has seen. She lettered three seasons while playing in the number one position in singles and doubles. Katy was named to the all-time All-Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Tennis in 1988, posting a 40-9 record in singles. She won four KWIC titles along the way and qualified for the post-season tournament three times.
Upon graduating from college, Katy went on to win at the state level in many categories including singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. While playing, she became a USPTR Professional Instructor and gave lessons through Bowling Green Parks & Recreation. Katy’s son, Chris Tinius, recalls being at the courts all day long while she taught lessons and the kids played. “She taught us about the dedication and discipline that’s necessary to succeed. All the hard work and long hours, we were lucky to be introduced to a lot of great people here throughout our lives,” Chris Tinius said.
Katy became the Head Pro at BGCC in 1979 and then became the first Director of Tennis at The Club at Olde Stone where she initiated and developed the tennis program. She also led the WKU Tennis team as their head coach for two years. In 1988, Tinius was named to the All-Time All-OVC women's tennis team and in 1995 WKU inducted her into their hall of fame. During her time as a coach and instructor, Katy left a great impression on many people in the Bowling Green community. Terra Sheldon was one of her students. "Katy sparked my interest in tennis and always made it so fun!! If it weren’t for her, I would have never stuck with it and made some of the best memories of my life. She will always be Coach Katy to me!," Sheldon says.
Fellow competitor and friend of Katy’s, Mark Boling sums up her impact on the sport. “Katy's numbers and the achievements, hard work and love for the sport and its players represent and document border on legendary and speak compellingly for themselves,” Boling said.
