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When Scott Torok was hired at Geneva High School as a teacher, one of the questions then-principal Joanna Daniels asked him was, “How many sports can you coach?.”
Torok has coached Geneva’s basketball (boys and girls), softball and tennis teams over the years.
He is still guiding the Eagles’ girls and boys tennis teams. During his time, Torok team’s have had 18, 15-win seasons and 25, 10-win seasons.
Geneva did not begin competing for conference championships until the year 2000.
In those 24 years, Torok has led the Eagles girls’ tennis program to 17 conference titles. The girls’ program, which was not started until 1986, reached 500 total wins last season.
For those accomplishments, Torok was recently honored for earning his 400th career win.
“I became [Alex] Stuetzer’s JV coach when he asked me to drive the van,” Torok said. “A lot of great athletes and great tennis players. Also some great assistants, including current coaches Mike Rose and Jeff Griffiths who keep me energized. It’s a nice accomplishment, but really a team accomplishment and honor.”
Steutzer is one of Torok’s influences in the sport, along with Phil Dubsky, Bob Kader and the late Arnold Bradshaw.
“Coach Bradshaw wasn’t around when I started in 1994,” Torok said. “He went down south and would come back in the summers.
“Bob, Phil and Alex … they all come from Arnie. That is the Geneva legacy, family, tradition way. For the last 26 years, I could always call Alex. I told Arnie, I’m just trying to keep the torch lit.”
Torok, an Ashtabula High School graduate, assisted Steutzer as boys coach a few years ago when Steutzer’s grandsons, Isaac and Nathan Palinkas, teamed up in doubles and reached the state tournament.
“I learned the ins and outs about tennis,” Torok said. “They knew how to motivate players. I learned so much from those guys.”
Geneva has won tennis conference championships in the Northeastern Conference, Premier Athletic Conference and Chagrin Valley Conference.
The Eagles have a 200-25 conference record in 23 years in three different conferences.
“The PAC was good for us,” he said. “In six years, I think we were 66-0.”
This season’s girls tennis CVC Valley Division consisted of the Eagles, Edgewood, Harvey, Lakeside, Madison, Conneaut and Jefferson.
Geneva, which went 17-4, 12-0 in the CVC this season, finished with 36 points in the conference tournament. while the Dragons placed second with 33.
The regular season counts for half and tournament counts the other half. Geneva won both the regular season and tournament titles for the outright championship.
“When we joined the CVC, we were playing teams like Hawken, Orange and Beachwood,” Torok said. “It wasn’t easy for us. We’re getting back to where we need to be.”
For the Eagles, Abby Griffiths and Hannah Dunn teamed up to win at first doubles and Sophia Elek and Jackie Patterson won at second doubles for the Eagles.
“We were 13-8 last year,” Torok said. “We wanted to do well in the county, conference and in the postseason. We got a doubles team to one match from district [Addison DiPofi and Griffiths in Division II]. We won our last nine dual matches. These girls really got it done.”
Last spring, the Eagles boys team finished 19-2 and won the second CVC title to go with 47 other boys championships, dating back to 1966.
Torok is eager to coach the Geneva boys team in the spring.
“We have a couple of sophomores [Myles Colgan and L.J. Stark] we’re looking foward to seeing, [2023 Ashtabula County Boys Player of the Year] senior Isaac Riddell is returning at first singles and [junior] Chris Wainio also returns,” Torok said.
In boys tennis, the CVC is divided into three divisions.
The Eagles are scheduled to play in the Lake Division along with Edgewood, Lakeside, Jefferson and Conneaut.
Torok is also looking forward to leading both teams in the future.
“I don’t plan on quitting anytime soon,” he said
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