Phyllis Vance is a trailblazer in women’s sports, marking many “firsts” in her career as an athlete, coach, and teacher. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, when opportunities for girls and women in organized sports were scarce, Vance carved her own path, paving the way for future generations.

At Eastbrook High School, Vance played on the school’s first volleyball and basketball teams. Without a softball team at the school, she joined the first team in the Upland Softball League, where she pitched the inaugural game. At Taylor University, she again threw the first pitch for the college’s initial softball team.

Vance’s career as a physical education teacher began at Huntington North High School, where she became the school’s first girls’ cross country and softball coach. She led Huntington North to its first Olympic Athletic Conference title in any girls’ sport and became the first female softball coach in Indiana to win 200 games.

Growing up in Upland, Vance was the oldest of three children in an athletic family. Her father was a standout basketball and baseball player, and the Vance kids were always playing sports. A key moment in her childhood occurred when, at just four years old, her mother pointed to a gymnasium and mentioned that a teacher there spent all day playing games. From that day on, Vance knew she wanted to be that teacher and, later, a coach.

In the 1960s, schools didn’t offer girls’ sports teams, and the Indiana High School Athletic Association had yet to sanction organized tournaments for girls. Sports for girls came in the form of the Girls Athletic Association, which was essentially an intramural program. At Eastbrook, this meant "play days" where girls from different schools competed in whatever sport was in season. Lacking uniforms, the girls wore PE shorts and polo shirts with masking tape numbers. Despite the lack of facilities and official status, Vance and her teammates cherished the opportunity to compete weekly.

Vance’s first organized softball experience was on a summer team coached by Taylor University PE majors. Lacking uniforms or sponsors, Vance and her teammates named themselves the "Diamond Belles" and made their own tie-dyed jerseys using their fathers’ t-shirts.

In 1972, Eastbrook High School finally introduced its first organized girls’ sports teams. Vance played on the inaugural volleyball and basketball teams, though her favorite sport, softball, was not yet sanctioned by the Indiana High School Athletic Association. That same year, Title IX was enacted, marking a turning point for women’s sports in the U.S., gradually opening doors for female athletes and coaches.

Vance attended Taylor University, which was ahead of the curve in women’s sports. She played tennis for one year, volleyball for three years, and basketball and softball all four years, earning 12 major letters. She was named MVP in softball each season and was recognized as Taylor’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1977.

After college, Vance began her teaching and coaching career at Huntington North. In addition to teaching physical education, she coached girls’ basketball and the Viking track team, and later launched the school’s cross-country program. As girls’ sports fought for equal resources and respect, Vance became an advocate for female coaches and athletes. The girls’ basketball team, for instance, was able to practice in the North Arena, but once a week had to share the space with the cheerblock, which also practiced in the gym at the same time.

Vance faced resistance from her male coaching counterparts, but gradually made inroads. After her team’s first sectional win in track, boys’ track coach Jerry Young, who also coached football, placed a Huntington North football cap on Vance’s head.

“I thought, ‘We’ve earned their respect,’” says Vance. “It took a while, but we won them over.”

Vance’s track teams won three consecutive sectional titles, and she eventually focused solely on starting the Huntington North softball program when the sport became IHSAA-sanctioned in 1984. Interest in the sport was immediate, with 110 girls showing up for initial tryouts. Despite challenges like practicing on a rocky field at Riverview Middle School, Vance led her team to a successful inaugural season with a 13-5 record. She never had a losing campaign.

Vance’s tenure as softball coach saw her teams win nine sectional titles, two regionals, and four conference championships. She coached three Indiana All-Stars and served as a coach for the All-Star team in 1992 and 1995. When she retired from coaching in 1997, Vance held a record of 205-62, making her the winningest female coach in state history at the time.

Vance continued teaching at Huntington North until her retirement in 2014. She was inducted into the HNHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002, the Indiana Softball Hall of Fame in 2005, and the Taylor University Hall of Fame in 2008, where she was celebrated as a pioneer in women’s athletics. Vance was inducted into the Grant County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.