Scott Frew, former Western Michigan tennis star and former men's and women's tennis coach at Ferris State and Albion, passed away at the age of 58 on Monday, October 8, after losing his battle with bulbar onset ALS, formerly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Frew played at WMU from 1973-1976, where he mastered the art of tennis both in the singles and doubles game. The highlight of his collegiate career came in 1975 when Frew won the No. 6 singles championship at the Mid-American Conference tournament.
"I remember watching him every minute of that match," said former WMU head men's tennis coach Jack Vredevelt, who coached Frew from 1974-76. "I was so impressed with him."
Frew was already a member of the team when Vredevelt became head coach, and Vredevelt says he saw Frew's potential from his very first day on the job.
"He showed great improvement every year," said Vredevelt. "He was an excellent team player as well."
"He was always an outstanding and tenacious player," said Vredevelt.
Frew grew up in Mason and played No. 1 singles at Mason High School, where he compiled a career record of 20-5. In his first year at WMU, Frew transitioned from high school to college by playing both singles and doubles; as a sophomore in 1974, Frew helped the Broncos to a then program-best 5-0 start, and excelled in doubles play.
Frew proved that 1975 was his year in the MAC. Playing at No. 6 singles, he compiled a 9-4 season record, but the defining moment of the year came at the MAC Championships held at Kalamazoo College. Frew outlasted his opponent in a grueling four-set match to take home the No. 6 MAC singles championship.
"He was a gutsy kind of player that out-fought every opponent he played against," said Vredevelt. "To win that championship, I couldn't have been more proud."
In his senior season of 1976, Frew played No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles, posting an overall record of 24-12. Although Frew's career at Western Michigan had come to a close, his passion for the game of tennis carried him in a new direction.
Frew went on to be the men's and women's tennis coach, head tennis pro, and co-director of tennis camps at Ferris State University from 1986-1991. He coached a men's doubles squad to a national championship in 1989 and went on to win the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association Midwest Men's Coach of the Year in 1991.
After his time at Ferris State, Frew went on to become head men's and women's tennis coach at Albion College in 2001. Frew coached the Albion women's tennis team to six Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships and five trips to the NCAA tournament. Under Frew's tutelage, Albion produced two MIAA Most Valuable Players, 16 All-MIAA First-Team players, and two Sue Little Sportsmanship Award winners.
"He always did an outstanding job as a coach," said Vredevelt. "And he was very good at what he did."
Frew coached the men's tennis team at Albion to their only NCAA postseason berth in program history in 2007. Under Frew, three players won the MIAA Allen B. Stowe Award for sportsmanship, and the Britons also produced a league MVP and a winner of the Lawrence Green Award for academic performance.
Frew will be recognized in the Albion College Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, October 12, and will be formally inducted into the Hall in 2013.
All memorial contributions in Frew's memory was given to the ALS Association, the American Diabetes Association, the Greater Kalamazoo County YMCA, and the Albion College Athletic Department.
