Once most high school players hang up their shoulder pads or bat, there are adult leagues that offer a glimpse of the competition the athlete once faced. However, all athletes have to face the fact that even after strong careers, “eventually everyone has to give up the noontime or pick-up games,” according to Dan Hayes, longtime legendary Oklahoma University basketball coach. Regardless of size, schools across Georgia that are promoting golf and tennis are teaching students a game that can be played for a lifetime.
Brantley High School Tennis Coach, Matt Thrift, didn’t pick up a tennis racquet, until he played with a friend. Once he finished his first backhand, he was hooked. Since he picked up the game later on in life, when he was nearly finished with high school and working at the same time, he didn’t end up playing for Brantley High School. “I am actually from Brantley County. I went to school here my whole life. The funny thing is that I actually didn’t even play on the tennis team, when I was in high school. I never even touched a racquet until maybe my junior year when one of my friends and I decided to try it out. We both loved it a lot, but we both also had to keep a job so playing on the team wasn’t really an option. We played whenever we got the chance through high school and college, Valdosta State,” Thrift said.
Thrift kind of fell into his first coaching tennis stint, but it was something he really enjoyed and was able to help build a strong feeder program for the varsity. Because he coaches both boys and girls varsity tennis teams, it makes for a long season.
“We played whenever we got the chance through high school and college (Valdosta State).
After I first took a PE position at Hoboken Elementary School, I found out that our middle school was needing a tennis coach. I took over as middle school coach for four years before moving up to varsity. During tennis season (because I coach both boys and girls) I am normally on the court practicing from 3:30-7:00 (we stop at 6:00 on Wednesdays). When matches start, we normally have 2-3 matches per week. Tennis season is January-May and we play about 23-25 matches each year. It’s a long season,” Thrift said.
Key components to growing strong athletic programs is a supportive school system, administration, and community. Thrift certainly understands these necessities and is grateful that all of these components are found in Brantley County.
“The School Administration and community have been a large part of our success. Our school administrators, from athletic director, principal, to superintendent are all extremely important to what we do. They are very supportive and encouraging. Additionally the community involvement becomes more supportive as well. We seem to have a growing number of fans each year. Tennis appears to be growing in popularity in Brantley,” Thrift said.
Thrift has spent his entire career, 14 years, teaching physical education at Hoboken Elementary.
“I started coaching tennis because I loved to play it, but now it’s much more than that. The more I learn about, it the more I appreciate it. It’s such a fast paced and athletic game.
I coached middle school tennis for four years and varsity for the last ten. I also have coached middle school football and basketball,” Thrift said.
Most coaches understand the long hours and endless practices that go into playing a sport. Tennis is no different, but it underestimated, even though the sport can be played year round.
Tennis is also a sport that is hard to grow players since there isn’t a recreational tennis program in Brantley County. “This is the most difficult thing that we face. We try to get kids started playing as soon as possible. Because there is no “rec department tennis” and most parents haven’t played the sport, it’s hard to get players to try it for the first time. Most kids around here grow up playing baseball/softball, basketball, or football ONLY. There aren’t a lot of tennis options. Tennis is also quite difficult. Most people will tell you that golf is the hardest sport to learn but tennis is the hardest sport to “master”. I normally have to be a salesman and convince them to try it one time. If I can get them to try it one single time, I’ve got them for life. I have NEVER heard of a kid in 14 years that tried it and didn’t like it,” Thrift said.
Thrift has coached the Brantley County tennis team to two Final Four appearances, the boys varsity in 2008 and the girls varsity in 2014. To be good in tennis, you have to be able to move quickly and athletically. The majority of tennis players play other sports and the training required for tennis to great benefit to other programs. “Being in a smaller school system, we also try to pull kids that play other sports as well. If they play other sports, they are probably athletic and competitive. That’s what we look for – teaching them the technique is the easy part. One big thing is we have great people in the program that are working with these players. Also, we have the best middle school tennis coach and varsity assistant in the entire state, Biff Lee and Patrick Stieve. Our tennis program would have little to no success without these two coaches on staff,” Thrift said.
Unlike other sports, tennis is a hands on teaching sport. A coach may have to show how to a lob or where to hit the ball on a serve.
Because Thrift continues to play tennis, he keeps up with the trend and changes in equipment and training. More importantly, he is about to keep that hands on approach because he is up to date with all things tennis. “I think that the equipment has changed a lot but you really don’t notice it so much in high school tennis as you do on the college/pro level. The racquets are more powerful than ever and people are hitting the ball harder and harder,” Thrift said.
One aspect that stays consistent in any sport are the people that have inspired someone to coach and they are still seen as that individual’s mentor. For Coach Thrift, that person is Dan Vonk from Camden County. “I would have to say that Dan Vonk (Camden Tennis Coach) has helped me more than anyone. He has given me lots of good advice about building a quality program. Even though he is in a much larger system than I am, he and I both fight the same battles and have similar obstacles that we face,” Thrift said.
Away from the court, Thrift has a great support system in his family.
“I have been married to my wife, Marla, for 15 years and we have 4 sons (Austin 13, Peyton 9, Landon 6, and Britton 3). We live in Blackshear and attend Emmanuel Baptist Church. When I am not coaching tennis, I enjoy spending time with family, playing sports, and fishing.
Dream Tennis Match:
My dream singles match would probably be against Pete Sampras. When I first starting playing, he is the player that I loved to watch the most. I learned the game from watching him.
For Doubles, I’d have to pick my son, Austin, as my partner, and I’d like us to play the Bryan Brothers. Mike and Bob Bryan are identical twins and they are the current world #1 doubles team. Austin and I love to watch the Bryan’s play doubles.
Southeast Georgia/ June 2016
Matt Thrift
Thrift teaching life sport in Brantley
By John Wood
Photos by Jennifer Carter Johnson
