COVINGTON, Ind. — For 39 years, Terry Field led tennis and basketball teams at Covington High School.
And he was able to touch the lives of many players and fellow coaches during that time.
Field passed away on July 13, leaving behind his brother, three children and 11 grandchildren along with the respect of players and rival coaches.
“Over the years, we had some close matches and he does not fit the mold of what a rival should be,” Fountain Central coach Chris Webb said. “He fits the mold of a mentor. A guy who would do anything to help out, even with an opposing coach. He was a guy who coaches and taught for the right reason and I can’t think of a better person than Terry Field.”
Webb remembers playing against Covington when he was in high school and meeting up with Field afterward was a highlight.
“There were times where he was one of the first people that met up with me after a game and even though I was playing for a different team, he was very complimentary,” Webb said. “There is a camaraderie between coaches in the area and when I started to talk to him, my respect for him grew even more.”
He also leaves behind players who were close to him on and off the court.
“I not only was coached by Mr. Field from sixth grade to my senior year of high school, but beyond that he was my pre-calculus teacher and he led a Bible Study for high school students that I participated in,” former Covington player Hannah Clingan said. “So I spent a lot of nights at the Field’s home and they meant a lot to me.
“In college, I did a mission with Athletes in Action and he was really supportive in getting me involved with the organization and I was able to take a trip to India, which was really life-changing to me, so he played a big role in my life.”
Field and the Trojans won various Wabash River Conference title and sectional titles, but in 2021, the Trojans boys team had its best run in the state tournament, going to the state quarterfinals. Covington was the first IHSAA Class 1A-sized team to make it to the one-class state quarterfinals.
Even through it all, Webb said there was a certain calm that may not have been exciting, but affective.
“His teams were always well-behaved and that’s because he set the example,” Webb said. “If you talk to any of his players, they would not do anything to disrespect their coach. I listened to a podcast a couple of days ago about the power of influence and one would think you would have to be charismatic to be influential and that is not true. I teach the same classes and coach the same sport and we are not charismatic by any means, but he had such a high standard that he set for himself that people were inspired by him naturally.”
“What was really special about Coach Field was his presence. He had a calm and steady presence, He was a great listener, very attentive and was patient and kind,” Clingan said. “ Coach had a stable, consistent and loving presence which was really nurturing for all of his athletes and he definitely was focused on the learning and the bigger picture outside sports and was preparing us for life. He was very impactful because of that and it speaks for a lot of his success.”
While Webb said there were many moments on the tennis courts that were special, he remembers one time off the court which was his most cherished memory of Field.
“My favorite moment from him was after a scrimmage that Fountain Central and Covington had in 2010,” Webb said. “My dad was battling cancer and he was not doing well. Terry came up to me and asked how my dad was doing and right before he took off, he pulled me aside and asked if he could pray for me.
“Terry is a very strong Christian man. There are so many people who said ‘Can I Pray for you?’ but Terry took time out of his day and stopped and prayed with me in that moment and that is a moment I will never forget and always treasure. Talking to my longtime fellow coach Dave Kight, he would say a similar story, so I know that it was not the first time he did this.”
What Clingan remembers most was Field showing her what the world was like outside of Covington and the relationship he had with his wife, Anita, who passed away in 2023.
“I have a lot of fun memories of the bus rides and a lot of dinners at his house,” Clingan said. “He would share slideshows from his trips abroad and he went to 70 countries with Anita, so he would come home and have a slideshow with whatever group he was hosting.
“I remember being a small-town girl and him sharing his experiences was really eye-opening and there is something about learning through a story that you feel more connected and it showed how much he loved Anita. They had a great partnership and created such a lovely home for many people through the years.”
What Clingan is hoping for is that the legacy of Field and his wife will live on in the town.
“They will be greatly missed, but the legacy will live on. I feel that their spirit is still present,” Clingan said. “I moved back to Covington recently, so being inserted back to the community, I wonder what are we going to do to continue this legacy, treat each other well, open our hearts and homes and look out for each other, so that is my mentality going forward. They are in our hearts even if they are not there physically.”