Former prep tennis star, golfer Muterspaw dies in car crash

Tuesday, Feb. 29, 2000 | 9:38 a.m.

At the 1989 Southern Zone high school tennis tournament, defending champion Jason Muterspaw of Chaparral was nursing a sore leg as he battled his way to a repeat of the singles title.

"Before his semifinal match, Jason asked me if I could delay the scheduled start time for the finals so he could get therapy between matches," tournament director Kim Barnett said. "I told him I couldn't do that, then I joked that he should beat his opponent quicker. He won 6-0, 6-0, got his therapy and got back in time to win the title.

"Unlike many top prospects who skip high school tennis, Jason was very proud to represent his school."

Jason Christopher Muterspaw, a two-time high school All-America who later became a skilled golfer and director of golf services at the Desert Inn, died Saturday in a rollover accident on Interstate 15. He was 28.

Jason Muterspaw was the brother of another Chaparral tennis star, Josh Muterspaw, who in 1994 died at 18 following a 15-month battle with rare adrenal cancer. They were the only children of Jim and Darlene Muterspaw of Las Vegas, who survive them.

"The only consolation I have is knowing that Jason, who never fully got over Josh's death, is now with his little brother," Darlene said through a spokesman.

Services for the lifelong Las Vegas resident will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Christ the King Catholic Church, 4925 S. Torrey Pines Drive. Visitation will be noon-7 p.m. Wednesday with a 6 p.m. vigil at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Burial will be in Palm Valley View Memorial Park.

The Nevada Highway Patrol said the accident occurred at 12:43 a.m. near the southbound ramp to Blue Diamond Road when the 1999 Toyota that Muterspaw was driving left the lane, hit the left shoulder, skidded and flipped, landing on its top.

Muterspaw, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle, Trooper Scott Berenger, an NHP spokesman said.

Born Oct. 28, 1971, in Las Vegas, Muterspaw took up tennis at age 10 and was one of Southern Nevada's brightest prospects by his early teens. He was ranked No. 1 in the Intermountain Region in the 14, 16, and 18 age groups.

He won the 1988 Governor's Cup Junior Tennis 16-and-under championship in Las Vegas by defeating fellow Las Vegan Robert Aguilar, 6-3, 6-1. Jason finished third in the state his freshman year and was undefeated his junior and senior years, winning the state singles championships in 1988 and '90, the years he was All-America.

"Jason was always polite and always on time for his matches," said Barnett, who coached tennis at Western when Jason was at Chaparral and today coaches tennis at Durango High. "Both of the brothers were very dedicated to the game."

Jason, who was always close to his brother, enjoyed watching Josh follow in his tennis footsteps and endured watching him struggle with a fatal illness.

Josh, who was ranked No. 1 in the 18-and-under age group in Southern Nevada, was diagnosed in May 1993 with cancer. In January 1994 he opted to stop chemotherapy treatments, returned to classes and graduated that June. Two months later, Josh died.

Jason earned a tennis scholarship to the University of Utah and competed in the 1991 Western Athletic Conference team semifinals in El Paso, Texas, where he defeated Roy Canada of New Mexico 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. But Utah lost 5-2 and failed to make the finals.

After that one collegiate season, Jason quit the sport and returned to Las Vegas, where he attended UNLV and studied finance.

"J felt he had no challenges left in tennis, so he took up golf," said former Chaparral teammate and longtime friend Mike Bastin. "He was just an incredible athlete and a well-liked person who left a mark on everyone he met."

At the Desert Inn, Muterspaw was in charge of the cart drivers and served as course starter. He also worked diligently at his golf game and had a 5 handicap.

Last year Jason took the teaching pro test -- a 36-hole challenge -- and failed by just two strokes. He had intended to take the test again next month, Bastin said.

Jason was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, the U.S. Tennis Association and Professional Golfers Association.

Muterspaw also is survived by his grandmother, Helen West of Dayton, Ohio.

The family suggests donations be made in Jason's memory to the Candlelighters for Childhood Cancer, 3201 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 512, Las Vegas, NV 89109.

Ed Koch is a reporter for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4090 or by e-mail at koch@lasvegassun.com