Former NC State Tennis Player Cy King Inducted into NC Tennis Hall of Fame
9/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Sept. 30, 2004
By Chris Bryce, Media Relations, USTA-North Carolina
Cy King is everything great about tennis in Raleigh. Born, raised and educated in Raleigh, it is where he learned to play and love the game. No one knows tennis there like Cy King does.
King's dedication to tennis takes many forms. He served the City of Raleigh as its Tennis Director for 30 years. He never shied away from a chance to give a little more. King has served on committees at every level, from the Raleigh Tennis Foundation to the USTA. He has been president of both the North Carolina Tennis Association and North Carolina Tennis Foundation. And for his work King has been honored at every level, garnering awards from local, state, sectional and national tennis organizations.
King's love of the sport began at six years old when his father, Cyrus King, Sr., first put a racket in his hand. The junior King took to the game quickly and played often, playing in leagues and tournaments. He attained junior rankings in both singles and doubles and starred on the Broughton High School team. In 1970 King teamed with Jim Dorsett to win the NCHSAA state doubles title which contributed to Broughton winning the team championship that year.
College came next for King and a spot on the team at North Carolina State University. He played there from 1970-74 for another NC Tennis Hall of Famer, JW Isenhour. King took his game to the next level under Isenhour, working his way up to #2 singles and #1 doubles and posting wins over the likes of John Lucas in doubles and Frank Hatten defending ACC singles champion at #2 singles.
After college, King began his professional career as the Tennis Director for North Hills Club, but his stay there was short as he was asked to fill the newly created position of Director of Tennis for the city of Raleigh. King would hold that job for the next 30 years of his life.
Tennis, which had always been a big part of King's life, was now his livelihood. As a career tennis professional, there is no better example than King. King always had what was best for tennis and the players in his city in mind when he made a decision.
The city of Raleigh has grown up and out over the last 30 years and so too has the tennis. King worked to keep pace with the expanding city, making sure his courts and programs were available to everyone in the city's ever-growing and ever-changing population.
One of the programs started by King in 1975 was the Raleigh Novice League. As an entry level program into the sport, the Novice League introduced kids throughout the city to the game of tennis. In 1981 King made the decision to affiliate the Novice League with the National Junior Tennis League. The NJTL is a national program started by Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell in 1968 with the goal of introducing kids to the sport of tennis who would not have the opportunity otherwise. This was a perfect match and the program continued to grow and prosper. The Raleigh program won National NJTL Chapter of the Year honors in 1996.
King has said that this program is "one of our best," because it serves the community and opens the doors to tennis to anyone who wants to come in. And that is what defines King as a man and a professional. He is someone who invites everyone to the table. He is someone who has made it possible for untold numbers of players of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to participate in the sport that means so much to him.
There is more to come for Cy King as well. Entering the next phase of his professional life, King has taken on two new challenges. In 2003, he took over the head coaching position for the Peace College women tennis program. In 2004, after retiring from the City of Raleigh, he joined the staff at the Raleigh Racquet Club as the General Manager.