Jeff Hand

Head Coach

CoEd Varsity Tennis

Athletic Background:

Four-sport athlete in high school. I played baseball, basketball, football and soccer. Yell leader (basically a cheerleader at an all boys school) senior year after football knee injury curtailed everything else. Graduated from Culver Military Academy in Indiana. Have also played ice hockey, tennis and golf. Started playing tennis seriously in college – University of West Florida as a walk-on. Played No.3 on ladder junior and senior year. I was there on scholarship – G.I Bill -- after military service, where I was a military policeman.  I had tours of duty in Okinawa, Japan and South Korea. Played flag football on island championship team in Okinawa (quarterback) and island championship fast-pitch softball team (centerfield, MVP). Played fast-pitch softball in Korea.. Scouted, so said my coach, in high school by Yankees, Phillies and Orioles (hit .491 final year of high school baseball before knee injury, during wooden bat era) before football knee injury put me on 18-month rehab assignment. Have helped coach youth sports -- soccer, football, and baseball. Started teaching tennis in Indiana and Florida. Started high school coaching (tennis) at Mesquite before joining coaching staff at Chandler Prep, where I've found a home.

Coaching Style/Philosphy:

I’ve adopted the Stoic philosophy with my coaching. I care about the things I can control and adapt to those outside forces that I cannot control. I’ve tried to instill that within the program. Always win with grace, lose with grace. Never be too high, never be too low. The expectation is to improve each day so you are a better tennis player tomorrow than you were today. Also, I have a sarcastic sense of humor. So, when team members finally get me (It shouldn’t take long) then each day can be filled with learning, they can respect the grind, and have fun doing it. Serving the community as a sports' official in Florida, Georgia, Oregon and Washington also has tempered my philosophy toward those who choose that avocation. 

CPA History:

I have no history with CPA, except that which I am developing here now. I do not have the family and friends plan. Though, that might be nice to have as a tennis coach always looking for new bodies to help replenish the system.

3 Interesting Facts:

First and foremost: I will be celebrating my 50^th wedding anniversary with my wife Lee (September 2). We met in airline school in Miami Florida. I knew her for three days, seemed like a lifetime, so I asked her to marry me, she said YES. So sometimes when you know something is right, you’re correct. 

Secondly, I played high school basketball in Indiana. Point guard. Once during a game with Whiting High School at their place on a Saturday night, we had a busload of cadets (Culver Military Academy, remember?) attend. We played the first game of a doubleheader. I was at the top of the key, late into the second half, setting up a play. We trailed by three points. Gymnasium filling up – seated 7,500 when filled to capacity – with fans for second game. Suddenly this kid guarding me yells out “Shoot it soldier boy.'' The gymnasium got deathly quiet. I glanced over at coach. He kinda shrugged, then nodded, so I let it fly. SWISH, nothing but net. The roar that went through that gymnasium I’ll never forget. Tied the score. We went on to win in overtime and the other two schools and their fans filing into the place cheered us on the remainder of the game. 

Finally, following my journalism dream, my family and I have moved around a lot. But me, I've lived in the following states before and with my family. Born in Pennsylvania, school in Indiana, South Carolina (Go Gamecocks), Florida (West Florida, go Argonauts). Work related: Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Arizona. During journalism career I’ve covered politics, government and everything in sports from Tee-Ball to the National Football League. I once pulled an Ashton Kutcher (Hey you’ve been punked) on an entire community by playing an April Fools joke. Too involved to tell here but it worked, people got angry because they’d been fooled; even school board members angry but admitted it was a pristine joke, athletic director of county high school confused at first because for him it was too life like, but he finally got it and laughed so hard.