Steve Johnston is beginning his 16th — and if you ask him — final season as head coach of the Kodiak High School tennis team.
The longest-tenured head coach in program history said he hopes to retire at the end of the season.
“I’m just aging out,” said the 71-year-old. “Between this and the Bears Den, it is just time to take a breather.”
Johnston, who also runs the school’s snack shack, has enjoyed teaching the youths of Kodiak the game of tennis while racking up a handful of regional individual and team titles. He would like to go out with more hardware.
“We have the talent to do better than what we have been doing at state and regions,” Johnston said. “It would be nice to have a dominating finish on the way out. Our athletes are generally better; we just are not competing enough.”
Kodiak is returning four of its five state qualifiers from a year ago in senior Karelle Reas and juniors Sabrina Eufemio, Will Murdoch and Molly Fitzgerald. Reas and Murdoch won last year’s Region II boys’ doubles title, while Fitzgerald (girls singles) and Sabrina Eufemio and recently moved Leah Flerchginer (girls doubles) were regional runner-ups.
Fitzgerald and Murdoch were appointed captains of this year’s squad that features a roster of 20 players, with 12 of them being juniors. The roster includes only two seniors — Reas and Omara Caballa.
“They (Fitzgerald and Murdoch) will bring the steadiness and experience, having made it through regions and to state,” Johnston said. “They are both solid players, so hopefully they will return to state this year.”
Johnston said Christopher Baldanado and Rieko Morera are emerging talents and hopes that off-season training will elevate the duo’s games to the next level. They also recruited players to the program.
“Pretty much when it was clear outside, even during the winter, they came down here and hit the ball around,” Johnston said.
Johnston handles the beginning players on one court, while assistant coach Derrik Magnuson instructs the advanced players on another court. Right now, Johnston said, the program has nine advanced players.
What does it take for a player to switch courts? “Hit more consistently,” the coach said.
Kodiak opens its season with a three-day swing through the Mat-Su Valley (Thursday at Palmer, Friday at Wasilla and Saturday at Palmer and Wasilla). Kodiak hosts Colony (Sept. 4-5) and travels to the Valley Invite (Sept. 17-19) before the region (Sept. 28-29) and state (Oct. 8-10) meets.
“We will see how they do this year. They are good players.”
Aug. 22 — at Palmer/Wasilla
Sept. 4-5 — vs. Colony at Wamwik Park
Sept. 17-19 — at Valley Invitational in Anchorage
Sept. 28-29 — Region III Championships in Anchorage
Oct. 8-10 — State Championships in Anchorage
Head coach — Steve Johnston
Assistant coach — Derrik Magnuson