Destiny displays overpowering game when it comes to Adams, Jackson tennis program

Linda Adams had never played tennis when she took the job as girls tennis coach at Jackson High School.

Nineteen years later, Adams is still coaching the Indians.

But it's been an interesting road with lots of learning and unexpected turns.

"I knew nothing about tennis. I didn't even know how to keep score," said Adams, who took on the duty her first year as a teacher at Jackson. "I was a softball player, a track player and anything but a tennis player. I remember telling myself, 'You know nothing about tennis, what are you going to do?' But I told myself I could do it."

Adams was hired as a physical education teacher at Jackson, but she took the job as tennis coach in 1995 after school administrators asked her to fill the vacant coaching position.

She's handed off the head coaching duties twice over the years, but she seems destined to be the Indians coach. In 2014, she's taken over the duties for a third time.

She's far removed from the novice tennis coach of her first year when there was a learning process for everyone involved.

"I kind of felt like the kids were teaching me," Adams said about that first year. "They really did teach me a lot, but at the same time I got them in shape. They really knew the strokes of the game, but they weren't in shape so that's where I really found my role early on."

Adams' coaching techniques improved over time after she decided to learn how to play and coach tennis during her first year at Jackson.

"I went to every camp I could find. I went to adult clinics just to try and get better," Adams said. "I knew no technique; I knew nothing. So the way I learned that technique was from watching people and having me teach their own technique."

Adams said that was the best way for her to learn in such a short amount of time.

"That was a good thing for me because you don't really learn bad technique," Adams said. "The game is all muscle memory, so if you're being taught a bad technique it will take a lot to change that bad muscle memory into something good."

Adams admits the road to becoming a good coach was long and challenging, but said her story proves it is doable.

"I just started at the very minimum to get where I am now," Adams said. "It's that repetitive motion, constant practice and positive attitude that will make you learn and love the game. Any coach can do it."

Adams said it took her five years to finally feel comfortable teaching tennis, but she found success in her very first year.

"We really should have gone to state that year. That was the best team I've ever coached," Adams said.

The Indians lost in the district final to Central, which made its first and only appearance at state.

Adams finally got the district title she had been seeking in 2002, thanks in part to Kim Pruitt.

Pruitt qualified for state as a sophomore, but sustained what Adams thought would be a season-ending injury in an automobile accident during the offseason leading up to her junior year. The injury made it hard for the junior to even walk.

"She couldn't run at all; she had to shuffle to the ball," Adams said. "It's a wonder how she did it, but she was good at it."

Pruitt played as the Indians' No. 6 player and ended up qualifying at state, where she won one match and lost two.

Pruitt went on to play for the Southeast Missouri State tennis team for four years.

The success made Adams realize she was good enough to coach, but she found it difficult to coach teams of 20-plus girls without an assistant coach.

"There are so many tactics to teach in the game of tennis," Adams said. "You've got the serve, the lob, the volley and the ground stroke, and with that many things to teach you can't hardly do it with one person."

Help arrived in 2005. Sheila Haertling, who had been a volleyball and basketball coach at Jackson, joined Adams, but she was new to sport. Haertling assisted Adams for just one year before returning to coach volleyball and basketball, but she said the experience opened up a new coaching technique to her.

"Transitioning into tennis was a little different just because it's a different mentality," Haertling said. "It's also more quiet. I think after coaching two loud sports like volleyball and basketball it gives you a different perspective on sports and how to coach someone. I think she's really taught me to chill out and relax a little bit, which is something I'm not used to doing when I'm coaching."

After the 2006 season Haertling went back to coaching volleyball and basketball, while Adams took the assistant role when David Brummel took over the coaching reins.

"I could work a lot closer with players one-on-one when I was an assistant," Adams said.

Brummel led the program for three years before becoming the Jackson boys swimming coach.

Adams returned as the head coach in 2010 and later retired from teaching and coaching after the 2012 season, with Pruitt replacing her former coach.

Adams intended to retire from coaching, but in 2013 she was asked to become a mentor for the Central boys tennis team.

"When you retire it's so much more fun and enjoyable," Adams said. "You don't have to worry about getting prepared for school the next day and can just focus on preparing to coach the kids."

Adams was content in that role, but a familiar knock came at her door.

Pruitt had to take a leave of absence due to family matters after last season, and Adams was surprised when she got the call to become the coach again.

"I thought, 'Really? Again?'" Adams joked about returning as coach at Jackson for a third time. "But it really is more fun now than it was when I was teaching and coaching."

Adams asked Haertling, her best friend, to return to coaching for one more run.

"I haven't been coaching for awhile, and I've been looking for an excuse to get back into it," said Haertling, who retired in 2012. "So when she called me, I said, 'I'm all for it.'"

Adams is now a veteran tennis coach. However, she may be facing her toughest test.

Only two of the 16 players on the Indians' roster have ever played tennis. Adams will be looking to senior Amelia Popp and junior Mikelle Culbreth to help lead the youthful Indians.

"It's going to be more challenging than my first year for sure," Adams said. "I know what to tell the girls, but they haven't met the expectations of their skill level yet, so I really have to get them comfortable with their own game."

At the Indians' first practice, Adams talked to her team about outhustling teams even if they can't match their skill level.

"We don't have the best skill out there, and we know that," Adams said. "But we're not just going to quit. We're going to be prepared and in shape. That will break a lot of people down, and we want to be that team that takes advantage of mistakes. We have to be that team."

Jackson opens its season against Sikeston on Tuesday.