Laid back might be the type of person Eastern men’s tennis coach Eric Stark is when he’s not motivating his players daily at practices at the Lantz Arena Fieldhouse.

Golf, music, college basketball and dinners at The Brick House are just a few things the coach likes to enjoy in his free time.

The second year head coach at Eastern previously served as the Panthers tennis graduate assistant coach under women’s coach John Blackburn.

“I will always be grateful to Coach Blackburn for giving me the chance here and continue to learn,” Stark said.

In his first season as the men’s head coach, he helped the squad reach the OVC Tournament for the first time in five years.

Stark is also the associate director of tennis. Before he was hired as the coach of the men’s squad, under his assistantship, he helped lead the Panther women’s tennis team earn back-to-back appearances at the Ohio Valley Conference championship. Eastern went 13-6 overall and 7-3 in OVC matches.

His other coaching experiences include the boy’s tennis coach at Lake Central High School, where he recorded a two-year record of 21-12.

Before Stark became a graduate student here at Eastern, he spent his time as an undergraduate at Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind., where he co-founded the club tennis squad and earned his marketing degree.

He said he thought about walking on the team at Butler, but he mainly attended for the education. He still wanted to play tennis and after he changed his major he started the steps to creating the club team.

“There was no club program and free court time so it was the logical choice to start a club team.  We had over 50 people show up to the very first meeting,” Stark said.

You might think a tennis player would be Stark’s favorite athlete as a young child, but growing up Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux was Stark’s favorite. He still has his poster up on his wall back in his hometown of St. John, Ind.

His favorite professional tennis player is Roger Federer. Stark described Federer as “unbelievable” because of his intelligence on and off the tennis courts.

“I remember watching him when he just started coming up the ranks and seeing the change from his teenage days to now is unbelievable,” Stark said. “The knowledge of the game he possesses might never be reached by another player ever.”

He said tennis is great sport because it’s always changing, and the player has to adapt to it.

“I have learned over the years, you never know what might work and what sounds good in your head might not have the same result as you had thought,” Stark said. “You can’t be set in stone about anything because what was here today might not be the case tomorrow.”

He’s hoping the men’s squad can get back on the winning track in Des Moines, Iowa this Saturday when the Panthers take on Nebraska.   

Cody Delmendo can be reached at 581-2812 or cddelmendo@eiu.edu.