Tennis Coach Steps Down

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tennis coach
Don Davis

Six-year tennis Coach Don Davis resigned as head coach of the Laguna Beach High School boys and girls tennis teams shortly before winter break and after the girls season concluded.

Davis said by email he resigned, but is not retired and will teach at the Nellie Gail Tennis Club in Laguna Hills. “I wish all the players, and the future coach the best of luck,” said Davis, 60.

Davis leaves a 20-4 record for boys and a 12-8 for girls in the 2016 season. The girls team made it to CIF semi-finals and the boys team to the finals twice during his tenure as head coach.

The boys tennis season starts shortly and some parents are anxious for news about who will lead the team.

Player Tristan Krogius’ mother, Stephanie, approved of Davis’s coaching method, but she is waiting for word about the try out date for the new season. Player Sam Reynolds’ mother, Carrie, said Davis’ departure was “swift.” “Sometimes parents have high expectations for a low paying position; it can be pretty thankless.”

Like most of the coaching positions at the high school, the tennis coach job is a part-time classified staff position, which pays $3,846 per season, according to an internet job posting.

“As I look back, I see a few matches that got the team very excited after their win,” said Davis, pointing to a post-season girls match against Santa Monica in 2013 when Laguna was tied 8-8 in the match, but trailed 5-2 in both doubles sets that had yet to finish. Laguna ultimately won the match 10-8.

For the boys, Davis recalled quarter-final and semi-final victories of the past two seasons, which were all won on the road.

Athletic Director Lance Neal said junior varsity coach Rick Gephardt has taken on coaching duties in the interim and has applied for the position along with five or six other applicants. Davis’s volunteer assistant coach, Everett Gee, whose children play on the team, could not be reached for comment.

A notice was sent out to parents this past Monday, Jan. 9, said Neal who expects to start interviews next week. Separate coaches for the boys and girls might be hired, but the focus is on finding a boys coach, Neal said. Their season starts Feb. 20.

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