Gerald Sayler is known as one of the top basketball players in South Dakota to convert to tennis – and many other lovers of the net game benefited because of his allegiance to the sport he "found" as a senior in high school.

Sayler, a 1957 Aberdeen Central graduate, played on four conference championship basketball teams at Northern State – three times playing in the NAIA championships in Kansas City, MO. Meanwhile, his tennis game blossomed and he teamed with Terry Jordre to win three conference tennis doubles titles while finishing #2 in conference singles.

His teaching and coaching career lasted 13 years – a highlight being coaching Alexandria (led by John and Mel Thomas) to the State "B" basketball title in 1965. He left his teaching and principal job at Glenham in 1977 to join other businessmen in Aberdeen to buy the only indoor tennis court in the Hub City. He became the sole owner/operator in 1980 of what was called the Downtown Tennis Club. He did some teaching of tennis and made year-round play available to the community. He sold the club in 1994 and semi-retired in Aberdeen.

A consistent singles player – he won the SD Closed 35 singles title four times and was runner-up nine times. In addition, he teamed with Jordre, his brother-in-law, for many doubles titles at the Black Hills Open, C.C. Lee and SD Open. He still competes in many senior events around the country.