Coach Scott McPherson is a 1979 graduate of Williston High School. He was a multi-sport athlete excelling in basketball and tennis. His high school accolades include being a member of 3 State Tournament basketball teams from 1977-1979 and being recognized as an All-State selection his senior year. In tennis, he was recognized with All-Conference and All-State honors as he and his doubles' partner won the West Region Championship and placed 2nd at the State Tournament his senior year.

 

He attended Williston State College from 1979-1981, graduating with an Associates Degree. He was recognized as a Mon-Dak All-Conference selection in basketball his freshman and sophomore years. After his completion at WSC, he attended Valley City State University from 1981-1984, graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education including a double major in English and Physical Education. While attending Valley City State, he was a member of 2 conference championship basketball teams from 1982-1983 and 3 conference championship tennis teams from 1982-1984. In 1996, he completed his Masters Degree in Secondary Education at the University of Northern.

 

Coach McPherson accepted his first teaching position in January,1985, at Williston Junior High where he taught and coached. After 16.5 years in Williston, he accepted a teaching position at Simle Middle School in Bismarck where he taught from 2001-2014. After 14 years at Simle Middle School, he accepted a teaching position at Legacy High School in 2015-2016 where he has taught for the last 8 years.

 

He started coaching boy's tennis in 1995 and girl's tennis in 1997 at Williston High School. He coached through the year 2000 before accepting the boys/girls' varsity tennis positions at Century High School in 2002. In his 6 years of coaching boy's tennis at Williston, he had tremendous success as his teams qualified for the State Tournament 5 times. Along with his teams' successes during this time, he was recognized as West Region Coach of The Year 5 times by his coaching peers. His coaching success continued when he accepted the girl's tennis position in 1997. In his 4 years of coaching the girls at WHS, his teams qualified 3 times for the State Tournament. His 1999 team achieved their ultimate goal of winning the State Championship, and he was nominated as the North Dakota Coach of The Year by his peers.

 

After accepting the varsity boys/girls' tennis positions at Century High School in 2002, he was fortunate to have continued success. The girls' teams won the West Region Team Championship every year from 2002-2011 except for 2010, & 2012-2014. The team placed 2nd in 2010, 2014 and 3rd from 2012-2013. During these 13 years, he was recognized as the West Region Coach of The Year in 2003, 2004, 2009, and 2011, and was nominated as the North Dakota Coach of The Year in 2011. His boys' teams at CHS qualified for the State Tournament from 2002-2007, & from 2009-2013 with the teams from 2006-2007, & 2009-2011, & 2013 finishing as West Region Champions. He was also recognized as the West Region Coach of The Year in the 2006, 2007, & 2009 seasons. The 2008 boy's team was his first and only team ( girls and boys ) at Century that did not qualify for the state tournament, therefore, in his 25 combined seasons of coaching the boys & girls programs, his teams qualified for the state tournament 24 times.

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McPherson made another attempt to coach his 3rd boys/girls programs in his 35th season of coaching when he was hired to start the programs for Legacy High School in 2014-2015. He will be coaching in his 55th total seasons, 28th boy's season and 27th girl's season, starting in 2023-2024. McPherson is the only tennis coach in the history of the WDA Conference to win 3 WDA Tournament Championships with 3 different teams from the conference as well as qualifying 3 different teams for the State Tournament from the conference. If it's any indication of his last 54 seasons at Williston High School, Century High School, and Legacy High School, he is certain to have more successful seasons ahead

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In 2006 he was able to coach his first individual state doubles champions as the team of John Roller and Brett Wike won a State Championship. In 2018 he was able to coach his first individual state singles champion as Michael Janes won a State Championship. Several other athletes have finished as high as 2nd place at the State Tournament from 2002-2023. The list includes: Jenna Larson, Angie Horner, Hallie Welk, Thomas Welk, Brady Spooner, Zach Holmen, Loren Anderson, Joe Janes & Sam Mastel from Century along with Brian Swanberg, Michael Janes, Parker Krom, Corby Svihovec, Jay Moylan, Anthony Janes, Chelsa Krom & Aleah McPherson from Legacy. He has also had the privilege of coaching 5 North Dakota Senior Tennis Athlete of The Year recipients- Corby Svihovec in 2020, Michael Janes in 2018, Brian Swanberg in 2016 from Legacy, along with Hailey Whitman & Loren Anderson in 2011 from Century.

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McPherson's career record over 28 years of coaching boys tennis at Williston, Century, & Legacy is 503-162 and his career record over 26 years of coaching girls stands at 364-132 for a combined overall record of 867-294 in 54 seasons for a 75% winning percentage. His boys' teams have qualified for the state tournament 26 times in 28 seasons and his girls' teams have qualified 22 times in 26 seasons with a JV Season at Legacy in 2015 and NO season in 2020 for a combined total of 48 times in 54 seasons. During his 54 seasons, his teams have won 21 conference tournament championships and have placed 2nd 14 times, along with his teams winning 1 State Championship and placing 2nd 13 times. He has had 79 different players ( 45 boys & 34 girls ) earn All Conference honors and 40 different players ( 23 boys & 17 girls ) earn All State honors. He has been nominated the West Region Coach of The Year 14 times and the North Dakota Coach of The Year 4 times.

 

Due to his fortunate success, he received some wonderful recognition in 2023, 2019, 2016 & 2013 as he was nominated as one of eight candidates for the National Tennis Coach of The Year at the National Coaches' Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska (2023), Bismarck, North Dakota (2019), Louisville, Kentucky (2016) and Des Moines, Iowa (2013). 

 

He received wonderful recognition in 2022 by the North Dakota Tennis Association as he was chosen as an inductee into the North Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame and was most recently nominated by the North Dakota Coaches Association as an inductee into the 2024 North Dakota Coaches Hall of Fame.

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Along with his coaching credentials, other credentials include his membership in the United States Tennis Association and his certification as a registered tennis instructor through the United States Professional Tennis Registry. He is a past board member of the Bismarck Mandan Tennis Association and the North Dakota Tennis Association in which he served for over 10 years.

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Coach McPherson is married and has 4 children. His wife, Danielle, is a Nurse Practitioner at CHI. The children are Alex, Abby, Ashlee, and Aleah. He enjoys spending as much time as he can with his family, and still maintains a competitive spirit with his involvement in amateur sports such as tennis and golf. During the winter, he can be seen in various gyms throughout the area officiating basketball games which he has been doing for the last 41 years.

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In conclusion, Coach McPherson would like to give thanks to the numerous former players that have impacted his life so positively. He will continue to be forever grateful to all the players who have been a direct impact on the achievements of his professional goals because of their successes in the sport. He continues to thoroughly enjoy coaching young people and witnessing the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that is necessary for them to achieve their team and individual successes.