Many spring sports teams have gotten new coaches for the 2023-2024 school year. When Mr. Andrew Bellairs left after finishing the 2022-23 school year, the girls tennis team was left without a coach. Mr. Mark Sholes stepped up and became the new girls tennis coach.
The boys tennis team also has new coaches. Ms. Rebekah Butler stepped down from her position as the boy’s head coach, leaving the boys team without a coach. Dr. Scott Youngdahl stepped up to be the new boys tennis coach. However, Youngdahl was previously the head coach of the boys soccer team, so the soccer team was also left without a coach when Youngdahl took the position as the boys tennis coach.
Mr. Michael Kelly took Youngdahl’s position as the head coach of the boys soccer team earlier this year. Additionally, after Mr. B.J. Flack stepped down from the position of the girls soccer team head coach, Mr. Danny Wheeler became the new head coach of the girls soccer team. Also, for boys lacrosse, Mr. Jay Whitelock took the position as the boys team head coach.
Sholes played on his school tennis team in high school and taught his daughter how to play. Additionally, he plays on the tennis team that is sponsored by his company, and coached the boys high school tennis team in Chesapeake, VA, before moving to Rockbridge County. Sholes has been having the girls run laps, practice their forehands and backhands, and play practice matches against each other to prepare the team for their matches and to achieve his goals for the team.
Sholes spoke about his goals for the team and what he has been doing to reach those goals.
“I want to help them improve their tennis skills, teach them different strategies when playing on a competitive level, encourage them to never give up during a match, build team spirit and support each other, and encourage them to have fun and enjoy the game of tennis,” said Sholes.
Wheeler began his coaching career as a RARO coach to his kids, and followed them to high school, when he started coaching the high school team. After taking time off of coaching for a few years, he became the coach of the girls team earlier this year.
Wheeler spoke about his goals for the team and how he hopes to transform his athletes.
“I want to help the team be able to function as a team,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler also hopes to use the competitive and hard working mentality that he says the female athletes often have in order to improve the team.
For more information, visit the RCHS website at https://www.rockbridge.k12.va.us/RCHS.
