Urbandale’s Dave White is the 2018 tennis recipient of the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union’s Golden Plaque of Distinction Award. Dave will be honored at the Class 2A State Tennis Tournament Wednesday, May 30, 2018, in Iowa City.
The Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union’s Golden Plaque of Distinction Award honors the Iowa coach who has demonstrated a successful career while making notable contributions toward school, community and the coaching profession.
The 2018 season marked the 21st for Dave White as the Head Girls Tennis Coach at Urbandale High School.
During that time, the impact Dave White had not only on the sport of tennis, but also thousands of young ladies’ lives has been profound.
Entering the State Tournament, White boasts a 275-57 career record. During his tenure, the J-Hawks made thirteen State Team Tournament Appearances, including a run of nine straight at this time. He coached over sixty State Qualifiers in Singles and Doubles and five State Singles Champions and two State Doubles Champions. From April 2012 to April 2016, the J-Hawks won 51 consecutive regular season matches, including 28 by a score of 11-0. The last 20 summers, White has coached over 2,500 girls and boys in his summer tennis program.
As a player, White partnered with Rick Ford to win the 1987 State 1A Doubles Championship; the duo was the first unseeded team to ever accomplish such a feat. This 1988 graduate of Iowa Falls High School went on to play one year of tennis collegiately at Winona State University, before graduating from Grand View College in 1994. He holds a Master of Arts from Viterbo University and teaches Business and directs the DECA program at Urbandale High School.
The son of Bob and Ann White, this J-Hawk credits much of his success to Hall of Fame mentors Bob White, Brad Bjorkgren, and Gary Swenson and the seven assistants that have coached with him through the years.