Steve Paulsen
Edina High School
Impact Statement
“We try to put a product on where the kids love to play, they love to come to tennis, they learn and have fun, and we’ve been successful doing that.” -Steve Paulsen
Biography
Paulsen has coached Edina’s girls teams for 15 seasons, and his teams have won the last 10 Class AA state team titles, with 11 titles overall. His Hornets’ teams have won 108 of 109 conference dual meets, and his career record stands at 320-9. His players have won six state singles titles and six state doubles titles. In 2005 Paulsen was selected the Class AA Girls Tennis Coach of the Year by the Minnesota Tennis Coaches Association.
In addition to coaching girls tennis at Edina, Paulsen coaches the boys team at Eastview High in Apple Valley, and one of his players advanced to the state singles finals in 2006. He coaches eight women’s league teams and three junior development groups, and has been a clinician for the United States Tennis Association at the Fort Snelling Tennis and Learning Center.
Since being honored in 2007 Paulsen has continued to lead Edina, a perennial power on the court. Edina won sixteen straight titles from 1997 until 2012.
After 28 years Paulsen retired in 2019 and went out on top with a victory over Minnetonka 7-0 to claim their 23rd State Championship. Paulsen boasts over 600 career wins. Three of his boys’ teams have also won state titles.
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