The Pine Tree tennis program is turning a new page this season with the arrival of Coach Clay, a coach whose passion for the game runs deep and whose journey to Pine Tree is rooted in both opportunity and family tradition.
For Coach Clay, the decision to join Pine Tree was about more than just a job. It was about the foundation the district has set for its athletes. “They’re doing a junior high program, which is very important to any tennis program,” Clay explained. “The fact that they offered and have that opportunity for my kids to succeed is a serious reason why I chose this spot.” By developing Pine Tree is preparing students not only to compete but also to grow as a team.
But Clay’s story as a coach began long before he stepped onto Pine Tree’s courts. His earliest inspirations came from his father, who coached at Gladewater and built a reputation for making tennis more than just a sport, it was an experience. “My dad coached at Gladewater for 44 years, and I would go on state tennis trips with him,” Clay recalled. “Even to this day, those players talk about their favorite moments, the trips, the hotels, the restaurants. The things teenagers enjoy while traveling with their team. Seeing that really stuck with me.”
It wasn’t just the memories of road trips that shaped him, it was his father’s love for his job. “I remember asking my dad at the breakfast table, ‘Why are you excited? You’re going to school,’”
Clay said with a laugh. “And he told me, ‘I love my job.’ “At the time, I didn’t understand it, but when I got into high school and became part of a team myself, it clicked. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a tennis coach,”
Clay admits that his path wasn’t exactly what his father envisioned. “I was an honor student, and my dad asked me, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ I said, ‘I wanna be like you,’ He was disappointed, he wanted me to be a doctor,” Clay shared. “But he inspired me 100%. That’s why I do what I do.”
Now, as a coach himself Clay carries that same spirit into every practice and match. He knows firsthand how much pressure players can feel in competition, but he believes the game should bring joy above all else. “The best part of my job is just seeing my team succeed,” he said. “Because I know the pain it takes to lose in a final, it can be consuming. So I really feel the tension my kids go through. But the most important thing for me is that they have fun. I want them to have the same experiences my dad’s players had.”
That philosophy is at the heart of his coaching style. For Clay, tennis is about more than winning matches, it’s about building relationships, creating memories, and helping students grow into confident young adults, “My dad’s players would even say, ‘We played tennis just because you were the coach,’” Clay remembered. “That’s the kind of impact I want to have here at Pine Tree.”
With a strong foundation already in place and a coach who blends tradition with passion, Pine Tree tennis is stepping into a new era. Coach Clay’s arrival brings not only skill and leadership but also a legacy of inspiration that stretches back generations.
At the heart of his coaching, Coach Clay values one simple idea: that tennis should be fun and meaningful for every student who picks up a racket. His commitment to helping players succeed while also enjoying the journey sets the tone for a promising future. With his guidance, Pine Tree athletes are not only preparing to compete, they’re building experiences that will stick with them for a lifetime.