Thursday, May 03, 2012
- by B.B. Branton
Coach Sue Webb put Chattanooga Christian School on the tennis map with talented players and a combined nine state championships (boys and girls) during an 10-year run.
After one season as the head tennis coach at Covenant College, Webb has decided to return to the prep ranks for the 2012-13 season.
Current CCS tennis coach Renato Mizutani will continue as a teaching pro at Manker Patten Tennis Club and will also pursue a master’s degree and attain a teaching certificate.
“This has been a great year coaching the CCS teams and hopefully I can return to high school as a coach and teacher in a few years,” said Mizutani who has led the Chargers boys’ team to the district title and will compete in the region next week.
Covenant College competes in the Great South Athletic Conference and John Hirte was the men’s player of the year and Gretchen Rowe (former CCS player) was selected to the all-freshman team.
“I’m honored to have been a part of the Covenant College coaching staff as I have learned so much from the coaches and the athletic department – t’s been an interesting year – but I feel like I’m going home to CCS,” said Webb.
“That’s just where my heart is. I’ve missed the kids, the CCS community and especially the tennis teams. I’m excited and blessed for the opportunity to be going back.”
Webb’s prep coaching resume at CCS is impressive.
The aforementioned nine state titles in her decade at CCS (2002-2011) – the boys won four straight state team crowns (2002-03-04-05) and the girls claimed five (2002-05-06-07-08) – plus six singles champs and three state doubles winners.
Webb is a former Tennessee at Chattanooga All-American tennis player in the mid-1980s, a member of the UTC and Greater Chattanooga Sports halls of fame and won the Senior British National Indoor Championship in 2009.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net