18 SportsUnion | APRIL 2019
COLLEGE
Tennis
If you take a look at the recent sports landscape, you will
see many former players turning to coaching. Some will do it
to just stay in the game. They need the game to be part of them
after they retire.
By Matt Ondesko Managing Editor
Others do it because they
have a mind for coaching.
Players can see the field in a
way that many others can’t.
They can see plays happen-
ing well before it happens.
Wayne Gretzky once said
that as a coach he could see
the play happening five sec-
onds before it happen.
While he could see the
play happening, the coach-
ing part of it was how does
he get his players to see the
same thing?
That is one of the biggest
obstacles as a former play-
er turned coach. It comes
easy. The good coaches can
coach up players and show
them exactly whats happen-
ing at that moment. They
can set up a play - and show
the players the more mental
side of the game.
D’Youville College tennis
player Gillian Wittig knows
a little something about
what it’s like to be a suc-
cessful tennis player on the
court. A standout at Depew
High School, Wittig had a
solid career for the Spar-
tans’ tennis program.
She parlayed that success,
and her love of the game, as
the varsity tennis coach at
St. Mary’s High School. She
went from player to coach
without a hitch.
“Being a coach is one of
the most rewarding things
I have ever done. Prior to
beginning coaching at St.
Mary’s High School last
spring, I taught tennis les-
sons for youth and recre-
ation programs to children
ages 4-18 for six years. Ten-
nis is one of my greatest pas-
sions and I hope to be able to
share that and inspire oth-
ers, especially kids,” stated
Wittig. “I’ve been fortunate
to have had some great
coaches over the years who
Coach on
the court
I looked up to immensely.
I hope to be this role mod-
el and leader to my team.
Coaching the high school-
ers is a bit different than
coaching the little kids.
There is definitely more em-
phasis on strategy and team
unity. After my first season
of coaching high school, I
was lucky enough to have
a great group of girls who
were so ready to learn and
give it their all. We finished
the season tying for first
place in our division which
gave me a great sense of
pride and accomplishment.
I could not have been more
proud of my team.”
Many think that tennis
is an individual sport - and
they are right. Playing in
tournaments requires just
you and an opposing play-
er. When is comes to high
school and college tennis
it’s more a team game. The
three singles players and
two doubles teams need to
be at their best if they want
to be the other school.
As a coach patience and
strategy come into play. For
Wittig being someone who
still plays that game at such
a high level comes in handy
when coaching the girls
from St. Mary’s.