Inductees

These days, it’s hard to imagine that girls basketball in southwest Missouri wasn’t a big deal in the 1970s as it is now. But that was the reality.

In fact, long before she starred for the then-Southwest Missouri State Lady Bears, Jeanette Tendai had no team to call hers until the eighth grade. Think it was just a hobby? After her freshman year at Glendale High School, she and teammates put in the work over the summer.

“There were five or six of us who wanted to be the best we could be,” Tendai said. “We wanted to win a state championship. That just kind of lit a fire under me.”

Tendai harnessed that energy and eventually emerged as a standout for Glendale and eventually for the Lady Bears in a career that has led the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame to proudly induct Tendai with the Class of 2016.

Tendai graduated from Missouri State in 1986 as the Lady Bears’ all-time leading scorer with 1,769 points – she now ranks sixth – and became the first woman, in any sport in Missouri State history, to have her jersey retired.

That’s not to say that Tendai did it alone. As she points out, a series of events fueled her climb from humble beginnings to marquee talent.

For one, middle schools and high schools in the 1970s, including Glendale, raised the profile of girls basketball by offering varsity teams. At Missouri State, Tendai came aboard just as the athletic department jumped to NCAA Division I. Plus, the Lady Bears were seeking a post player following the 1982 season, given Lynn Strubberg had held that role. And, before her junior season, the school hired Cheryl Burnett as an assistant, and Burnett would enhance Tendai’s overall game.

But there is no mistaking that the summer after her high school freshman season proved the first turning point. Tendai worked on post moves, particularly with her back to the basket, and enhanced her foot work.

“I practiced every single minute I had,” Tendai said.

Two years later, she made the cut for Glendale’s varsity team as a sophomore, setting off a string of three consecutive All-Ozarks selections. As a senior, she was All-State and all-district after leading the Lady Falcons to the state quarterfinals and an impressive 26-1 record.

Tendai’s play piqued the interest of several colleges, and she was thrilled to join the Lady Bears. There, Strubberg’s play was an influence. She also developed her game by traveling to Kansas City on summer weekends.

“We were lifting a lot of weights, and I had never lifted like that before,” Tendai said. “I lost 15 pounds my freshman year, and I didn’t have 15 pounds to lose.”

Burnett’s hiring by coach Valerie Goodwin also proved significant as Tendai entered her junior season.

“She was mentoring me, teaching me and was holding me to very high expectations,” Tendai said of Burnett, who was promoted to head coach for the 1986-1987 season and created a national profile for the Lady Bears, herself becoming a Missouri Sports Legend. “Part of that is she wanted me to play defense.”

Tendai, who was the third Lady Bear ever to score 1,000 career points, became a two-time All-American. Additionally, she was the Lady Bears’ first All-Gateway Conference pick as a sophomore in 1984, when she shattered the then-school record for scoring (597 points) in a single season en route to earning honorable mention All-America honors.

In fact, her 21.4 scoring average remains the fourth-best season scoring mark in MSU history, and the highest for any Lady Bear not named Jackie Stiles.

Tendai was a three-time all-conference selection, earning first team honors as a sophomore and junior before receiving second team recognition in 1985-1986.

She also owns the Lady Bears’ third-most career field goals converted (726) and the fifth-most field goal attempts (1,468). In 1992, she was inducted into the Missouri State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

To Tendai, the lessons learned in basketball set her up for success. After her playing days, Tendai worked for years in the Kirkwood School District, first as a teacher and coach, and later as a building principal and then in human resources. She is now an educational consultant for Ed Plus and assists other school districts in the St. Louis area.

“The people are what made the difference. I was so lucky to be surrounded by great teammates, coaches and family,” Tendai said. “The games were fun. The people who were all around the games were the bonus.”