Pershard Owens to take over as Notre Dame tennis coach

The Notre Dame Bulldogs have found a new leader of both the boys and girls tennis programs.

The school announced on Thursday that Pershard Owens will be the next tennis coach at Notre Dame Regional High School.

Owens comes to Notre Dame with plenty of tennis experience. He played collegiate tennis at Missouri Baptist University and has also served as an assistant tennis coach at Sikeston High School.

Owens credits watching Serena and Venus Williams for getting him into tennis.

“I remember recording their matches on VHS,” Owens said. “Seeing them I realized that tennis was a possibility for me. They are definitely the reason I got involved in tennis and I hit the ground running after that.”

The opportunity to lead both Bulldogs programs that have seen lots of success is one that Owens doesn’t take lightly.

“I’m extremely excited,” Owens said. “It’s a huge opportunity to be able to build on this program and I’m looking forward to being a part of the amazing culture that’s already been created.”

The success of both programs is something that Owens took note of.

“There is tons of potential there,” Owens said. “I want to push them to be better than they already are. They’re already amazing athletes but I think there’s more that can be brought out and that’s what I’m hoping to expand on as a new coach.”

Owens is taking over after Donna Ryan and Linda Ruddy announced they would retire following 10 seasons at the helm of both programs.

“It’s super important for me to make sure that they feel like they can come out anytime and contribute,” Owens said. “They built a bond with the boys and girls so I think it’s super important. I just want to make sure I continue the legacy that they’ve created. I’m not here to change the program, I want to add more to it and take it to even bigger heights than it is now.”

Owens said after getting the job, he contacted Ryan and asked her questions about the program.

“I just wanted to ask her how she ran things,” Owens said. “Like I said, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. They have a very well-oiled machine and I just want to keep everything consistent like they’ve done. When you’re doing a sport, athletes get into a routine and that’s what they’re used to.”

The job with the Bulldogs will be Owens’ first head coaching job. After spending time as an assistant, Owens is looking for an assistant coach that won’t be afraid to challenge his ideas.

“Sometimes as an assistant you want to stand back and not say a lot to not step on any toes,” Owens said. “Whatever assistant coach we find, I want to make sure that they’re super comfortable talking to me. I don’t want anyone to feel like they have to dumb themselves down because of the ego of a coach. I want us to work together collectively so we can make sure the players are getting the most impact possible out of what we’re doing.”

The Bulldogs are hosting an opportunity for players and parents of the Bulldogs tennis program to meet Owens at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, at the tennis courts at Notre Dame Regional High School.