Hanging on the fence watching his boys manhandle another team, Art Stout must feel good. Stout has brought Kirkwood tennis from its knees into a state champion contender year after year.
Stout, 73, coaches both the girls’ and boys’ tennis teams. During his 52 years of coaching, Stout has brought a winning swagger to KHS tennis.
“Art is a very intense competitor who hates to lose,” Jim Velten, athletics director, said.
Stout has been able to avoid losing in the past 52 years as he has compiled a boys’ team state championship in 1978 and 10 appearances in state competition since 1988 including eight years in the Missouri State High School Athletic Association (MSHSAA) championships (or better known as the final four). Of those eight years, his team won second three times, third three times and fourth twice. Stout has also led the boys to 14 conference/district championships and the girls to 10 conference/district championships. Stout, who has been the only KHS girls’ tennis coach, began the program in 1973 and coached the team to six MSHSAA final fours.
Through his numerous victories and dedication to the sport, Stout received the MSHSAA boys’ tennis Coach of the Year award for 2007. Also, the National Federation of State High School Associations named him one of its 21 Coaches of the Year. However, it is not the awards that fuel Stout and his love for the game.
“Son, my favorite part of coaching is seeing someone positively awful improve over the course of the season,” Stout said. “I also love giving kids a chance to play.”
The love for kids, which we, the tennis team, see every day as we arrive at Kirkwood Park, began when Stout started teaching at KHS. Stout, who graduated from KHS in 1953, taught math from 1957 to 1998. Stout’s love for kids began in the classroom, and he believes anyone who teaches at KHS should work with kids on an outside activity. To this day Stout continues to tutor students in calculus. Also, the Art Stout Award is given every year to the varsity team with the highest GPA. The award reads:
Philosophy for students: “Whatever you do in life, make sure it is something you love.”
Even through Stout’s desire to win, he is a true man of the game. Stout will take points away from players in their match for throwing rackets, swearing or doing anything disrespectful to the game of tennis. And Stout did it without a second thought. He would never disrespect the game.
“I have seen Art take points away from one of his players in a state match,” Velten said. “That would be very hard for any other coach.”
Another thing that would be hard for any coach would be allowing his wife Shelby (or ‘Mama’ to some of the boys) to serve the kids sugar cookies and chocolate cake before a match. However, Shelby is as much a part of the program as Stout. It is a distinctive advantage to our team when we sit around our favorite Stout, Shelby, shoveling in Cheetos, the famous homemade trail mix and every snack imaginable right in front of our opponents. It’s all psychological.
This year’s boys’ tennis team is following the example of many great previous teams that Stout has coached. With a strong nucleus returning from last year’s third place state championship team, Coach Stout looks for the team to repeat a deep run in the state tournament.
“We may not be the best at certain positions,” Stout said. “But we are just so deep that we will go far.”
By far, the best characteristic of Stout is he will take every chance to teach his kids. Getting off the bus last year for a match against Rockwood Summit, Stout gave the team some of the best advice he has ever spoken.
“For God’s sakes, watch where you are walking,” Stout said. “The snakes are out, and they will bite.”