CENTRAL'S SLATTERY CALLS IT GAME, SET AND MATCH

And to think that Annette Slattery originally had not even thought about going to college.

What a loss that would have been to the coaching profession in general and Cape Girardeau Central High School in particular.

Explained Slattery, a St. Louis native, of her decision to attend Southeast Missouri State University back in the 1970s:

"It was a last-minute thing. I thought I was going to be a secretary, but I quit work on a Friday and started school here on a Monday. My coach from high school talked to me and convinced me I would be making a mistake if I didn't go to college."

Added Slattery with a laugh, "It really changed my life."

In a lot of ways. Not only did Slattery eventually meet her husband in Cape Girardeau, where they have raised a family, but for the past 19 years she has coached Central's girls tennis team to an amazing amount of success.

Now, with an eye on spending more time with her family, Slattery is stepping down from coaching. This is her last season in charge of the Lady Tigers, who will have three players competing in this weekend's Class 4A state tournament in Springfield.

"I've been thinking about this for a while," said Slattery, who will continue to teach physical education at Central. "It just felt like the right time. It can't get much better than this."

Slattery will end her coaching career with Central's girls riding an amazing string of 50 consecutive dual-match victories covering four seasons. The Lady Tigers have also won the past four district titles.

In 19 seasons coaching Central's girls, Slattery's teams have compiled an unbelievable 213-27 dual-match record, captured a host of district championships and sent numerous players on to the state meet.

Slattery also coached Central's boys for three seasons and spent her first two years out of college coaching tennis at Kennett. All told, Slattery's career record is 260-43.

"It's been so much fun," she said.

And tennis wasn't even one of Slattery's original sports of choice as she played volleyball, softball and field hockey in high school. But she took up tennis at Southeast.

"My best friend in college played No. 1 for SEMO," she said. "That's how I got interested in tennis. I really couldn't compete with her, but she said she needed somebody to get the ball back to her. That was really good practice for me."

Slattery, always quick with a laugh and a smile, said all the victories are not what stand out the most when she thinks about what coaching has meant to her.

"The wins and the losses, that's not any part of it," she said. "Just being associated with a quality group of people that has come though year after year. We just have fun, a really good time, and the parents have been so supportive year after year. Probably what makes people coach a long time is they have fun while doing it."

Slattery and her husband Terry have two boys, 14-year-old Patrick and 11-year-old Blake. She said getting the chance to see her sons compete in sports is a big reason why she is getting out of coaching.

"I want to spend more time with my family," she said. "My oldest son will be coming to Central Junior High and he wants to play football. I would like to see him play. My youngest son is in soccer and I really would like to see him play."

Slattery said some people have jokingly indicated she was stepping down from coaching now for a different reason.

"Some people said they know why I'm leaving, because we're- graduating all these seniors," she said with a chuckle. "But that's not it."

While Slattery won't be coaching the Lady Tigers any longer, she will still come around the courts.

"I still plan to go to a lot of the matches," she said. "I still feel very close to them and I will definitely miss them."

The feeling is no doubt mutual.