By Chris Lane
Sports Corespondent
Winning teams always have their own identity, but certain things are necessary to make them great. Players with talent, desire, heart and determination. Pride in tradition and a good coach is certainly necessary as well.
This year, Pee Dee Academy’s tennis team secured it’s second straight state championship. And, they did it with a man on the sideline who was coaching his first ever varsity season.
On Dec. 9, that man,Johnny Waller, was named South Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association Coach of the Year in a ceremony at Wilson Hall.
“It really caught me by surprise. I was there to pick up an award for one of the players,” Waller said recently.
“I had no idea I was even up for this award.”
He should have. After assisting for two years under head coach Claudia Brewer, who also won the state title, and coaching B-team football, this was his first varsity head coaching position.
“It was a little different, because sometimes the assistant coaches can do things in tennis that the head coaches cannot, such as talk to the players during the match. My position may have changed, but I still wanted to be able to have contact with my players during games. I felt that was important,” Waller said of his change in position.
Whatever he said, they must have listened. Behind Waller and assistant coach Jerry Coleman, this year girl’s tennis team finished 11-1, backing up a 17-0 mark of the previous season.
“This award is special because it was voted on by the other coaches in the state,” Waller said. “But, what means the most is that it came because of what the girls did. It was their work, interest, commitment and determination to win back-to-back titles that allowed this to even happen. “
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