OUTSTANDING ATHLETE

Induction Year: 2012 | Graduation Year: 1978

Peter Scarff grew up outside New Carlisle and spent his school career in the Tecumseh system. He was fortunate that he had a tennis court at the family house, enabling him to learn to play at a young age. His father taught him the game, but he only began to take it seriously at 14 when his mother entered him and his older brother Bill in local tournaments. They raised some eyebrows when they beat many of the better Springfield players. Peter started playing regularly at Springfield’s Snyder Park, and soon his summers were filled with tennis— serving as a leader in the youth tennis program that taught 4-500 children of all ages the game of tennis and playing and winning tournaments at both singles and doubles with Bill that qualified him for larger tournaments. They often made weekend trips to Chicago, Indianapolis, and Toledo for club matches. In winter, he and Bill played at indoor clubs in Springfield and Dayton, including early morning practices before school.

When Peter was a freshman, 9th grade was held at Olive Branch Junior High School. Though he begged Doug Chaffins, the tennis coach, he was not able to play on the varsity team. He worked hard toward the goal of playing varsity in his sophomore year. He and Bill, who was now a senior, would get up early enough to play at the Springfield Racquet Club from 5:30 to 6:30 in the morning, then shower, dress, and be to school by 7:15. When spring came, he and Bill had to play each other for the first singles spot on the varsity team. Bill won their match for the top position, Peter played second singles for the 1976 season, and was undefeated. He won the Miami Central Conference tournament at second singles and was selected to the All-MCC team. At the annual Wayne Doubles Tournament, which attracted teams from all over the state, Peter and Bill made it all the way to the quarterfinal round. After the regular season, they decided that their best chance to get to the state tournament was by playing doubles together. They won the sectional tournament, but lost in the state qualifying round to the eventual state runner-up.

Peter’s junior year, he played first singles and was undefeated again. Like hissophomore year, he won the MCC tournament and was selected to the all MCC team. He played singles in the sectional tournament, and faced his best friend and rival, Rusty Schubert from Springfield North in the finals. Peter had already beaten Rusty twice during the regular season. After winning the first set and gaining two match points in the second set, he collapsed and lost the match. In his first round match in the district tournament, he played his worst tennis of the year and lost in three sets.His senior year regular season was a repeat of the first two. Playing first singles, he went undefeated during the regular season, won the MCC tournament, and was selected to the All-MCC team. He beat Rusty Schubert twice during the season, and this time Peter was ready for Rusty in the sectional finals. In a match that had to be moved indoors because of rain, Peter beat Rusty in straight sets. At the district tournament the following week, Peter won his first round match, but lost in the state qualifying round to a Cincinnati player.

Peter’s overall singles record in high school was 73-3. His doubles record was 9-2 for an overall record of 82-5. In each year of his high school tennis, the Arrows team wasn’t the best, but Peter had a lot of fun. Playing the same teams each year allowed all the boys on the team to develop friendships that lasted through the season and the tournaments. They would hang out together, go onto the court and play against each other, then hang out together some more.After high school Peter went on to play varsity tennis at the collegiate level with Ohio University where he lettered all four years. His sophomore year, he won Most Valuable Player honors. He won Mid Atlantic Conference Player of the Week during his sophomore year, and each year had an overwhelming winning record. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance.

After college, Peter played tennis competitively for a few more years and continued to win tournaments in the Dayton and Springfield area. He soon turned his attention to his career, his family and community service, and was equally successful there. Peter married Cindy Speck of Oakwood in 1985 and they have raised three great children, all of whom graduated from Tecumseh: Nelson in 2006, Henry in 2009, and Anna in 2012. Nelson graduated from The Ohio State University in horticulture in 2011. Peter is the president of Scarff’s Nursery, Inc. He has served as a board member for the Cox Arboretum Foundation, the New Carlisle Public Library, the Wholesale Nursery Growers of America, and the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association, where he also served as president in 1996. He has been the Ohio Senator to the American Nursery and Landscape Association since 2007. He is a member of New Carlisle Rotary where he served as president and was selected as a Paul Harris Fellow. He has been a deacon in the Lake Avenue Christian Church since 2007. In 2008, Peter was elected to the Tecumseh Local Board of Education where he continues to serve.