Colleges

SPC creates a women's tennis team

By RODNEY PAGE
Published June 28, 2006

St. Petersburg College has added women's tennis to its athletic roster beginning in the 2006-07 school year. The program, which has no players or coaches yet, will begin its 20-plus match season in January.

"This just made sense for us at this time," SPC athletic director Lars Hafner said. "Over the last couple of years, we've had success in all of our athletic programs. And we felt we should go forth and add another sport. Women's tennis was the choice because there is a demand for the sport in our area. It gives us a chance to lend credibility to our institution both academically and athletically."

SPC is just the fifth state community college to offer women's tennis, joining Hillsborough CC, Broward CC, Central Florida CC and Florida CC at Jacksonville. Broward won the Junior College National Championship last season.

There will be nine players on the team once it is assembled, and all will be on scholarship. Hafner estimates a scholarship costs about $3,000 per year. Add in the hiring of a coach as well as travel and other costs, and it could cost about $50,000 to start the program.

Hafner has just started the process of finding a coach. He hopes to have one named by mid July. He also hopes to have the team in place by August so it can play an abbreviated fall schedule. The Titans will play at an off campus site in St. Petersburg or Seminole.

There are many steps to be taken before the team is in place, but Hafner said it was not a tough sell to the school's senior administrators, who had to approve the addition.

"When everyone saw the big picture, they felt it made sense," he said.

Hafner said the school's other programs - volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball - will remain. He also didn't rule out adding a men's tennis team in the future.

"All options are open ," Hafner said. "I only see this school growing in the future."

[Last modified June 28, 2006, 06:27:16]