A familiar face at Joplin High School is now in a new role.
After nearly four decades of coaching basketball and track and field, Jeff Williams is trying something new, taking over as Joplin’s head girls tennis coach.
“I’ve always loved tennis, the job opened up and here I am coaching a bunch of great kids,” Williams said at the conclusion of a recent practice. “I’m excited to be here.”
A physical education and health instructor at JHS, Williams spent six seasons leading Joplin’s girls basketball program before resigning at the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign. Before taking over the reins of the girls basketball program, Williams guided the JHS boys team for five years.
Before his time in Joplin, Williams had a lengthy coaching career in Chanute, Kansas, piloting the boys basketball program while assisting in track and field, where he developed state champion pole vaulters and state medalists in the other jumping events.
Williams said the transition to coaching tennis has been a smooth one.
“Every coach learns as they go,” Williams said. “I’ve never stopped learning in any sport I’ve coached. I’m learning along with the girls, and we’re having a good time.”
Williams is taking over the program after Ed Ingle resigned this past spring. Ingle had been in charge of the program since 2013.
“Coach Ingle left the program in great shape,” Williams said. “Ed was a great coach and I won’t be able to replace him. But I’ve got a great, young assistant coach in Richard Perry. He has 12 years of experience coaching tennis, and he’s great at teaching mechanics. We’re blessed to have Richard on the staff.”
Williams inherits a program that features two returning starters from last year’s squad in junior Astrid Cardenas and sophomore Emma Watts.
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Cardenas was the top No. 1 singles player in the Central Ozark Conference last year as a sophomore and advanced to state.
“Astrid is a very talented player,” Williams said. “She hits quicker than the rest of our girls. I know she wants to go further this year at state. We want to get her up on the podium this year.”
Watts spent her freshman season as Joplin’s No. 2 singles player, gaining valuable experience.
“Emma has put in a lot of time and you can tell that when you watch her play,” Williams said. “Her skills are good and we’re looking for big things from her.”
Williams noted Cardenas and Watts give the Eagles a solid 1-2 punch in singles play.
Also, Cardenas and Watts went undefeated as a doubles team last year, and the duo will likely pair up again this fall to give the Eagles a formidable No. 1 doubles squad.
Williams said freshman Lauren Laird, senior Kennedy Schwartz and sophomore Jensen Vowels are other promising players who are likely to contribute nicely at the varsity level this season.
“All three of them have been playing well in practice,” Williams said, noting Schwartz has been providing senior leadership. “We’ve got a number of girls who have worked hard to become pretty good tennis players. We want to take them to the next level.”
Williams noted starting positions have not yet been determined, as challenge matches during the final week of August will decide which players occupy the varsity spots when the team begins the season on Aug. 28 at the Kickapoo Invitational.
As he embarks on a new experience, Williams stressed he’s been pleased with the team’s effort in practice.
“It’s going very well,” Williams said. “We’ve got 13 girls out and they’re all working hard. We’re working on the fundamentals. We’re just trying to get ready for our first match on the 28th. And we’re having a good time. We’ve got great kids.”
