Marble Falls tennis coach to speak at convention

Marble Falls tennis coach to speak at convention Jennifer Fierro Special To The Highlander Tue, 07/23/2024 - 04:00 Image

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  Marble Falls High School tennis head coach Samuel Whitley is one of the special speakers chosen to present during the Texas High School Coaches Association convention. Contributed photo

  Marble Falls High School tennis head coach Samuel Whitley is one of the special speakers chosen to present during the Texas High School Coaches Association convention. Contributed photo
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  Marble Falls High School tennis coach Samuel Whitley (right) talks with boys singles player Cooper Womack. File photo

  Marble Falls High School tennis coach Samuel Whitley (right) talks with boys singles player Cooper Womack. File photo

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A short conversation at the Class 4A state tennis tournament in May created a lane for Marble Falls High School head coach Samuel Whitley to being a special speaker at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention.

The title of Whitley’s seminar is “I’ve been assigned to coach tennis. Now what?” He is scheduled to present Tuesday, July 23.

THSCA is the largest coaches association in the United States.

The speaking topic came up when Whitley spoke with Bob Kleinecke, the executive director of the Texas Tennis Coaches Association, following Marble Falls sophomore Cooper Womack’s loss at the state tournament in May.

Whitley mentioned that before he became the Marble Falls tennis head coach, he was a football, basketball, baseball and softball coach.

“Football was my passion,” he said. “I hadn’t coached tennis in 10 years when (former athletic director Rick) Hoover) hired me to coach tennis. I have done it slightly differently than when I was the head coach in football.”

His points of emphasis will be on organization that includes how to conduct practices, what to look for as coaches observe their players, how much time to devote to drills, fundamentals and other necessary parts of the sport.

“I organize it very much like football,” Whitley said. “It’s scheduled — these are the things we do.”

What compelled the conversation with Kleinecke is Whitley pointing out a growing trend he’s noticed.

“A lot of coaches are assigned to sports they’ve never coached before, and they’re lost,” he said. “It’s a sport. Learn the game, motivate the kids, encourage the kids, and you’re going to be OK.”

That may best explain what the Marble Falls team has been able to do the last three years under Whitley’s direction.

Womack is a back-toback district champion in boys tennis and he won the 2024 Region III championship to advance to the state tournament.

In Whitley's first year, he guided Brody Knight to a bronze medal in boys singles at the district tournament.

The team tennis team finished as the 2023 district runner-up and advanced to the playoffs the last two years. The Mustangs and Lady Mustangs defeated Taylor for a bi-district title last fall.

Growing sport, especially at Marble Falls Middle School, is a priority, Whitley said.

“My goal is to get 12 freshmen,” he said. “Half will be gone by the time they’re seniors. We’ve had success, and we’ve grown.”

His final talking point may be the most important.

“Any good coach — in my personal opinion — can be a good tennis coach,” he said. “If you’re an old coach like me and you’ve coached one of the major sports, you know how to develop a program. It’s the same recipe: building relationships, trying to get a middle school program, and getting those kids to play in the program.”

Jennifer Fierro publishes reports about area youth athletic events on her website TexasChalk-Talk.com. To send her a note, email fierrojenni fer@yahoo.com.