Lindsay Johnson named All-Bi-City Boys Tennis Coach of the Year
In her second season as Northside tennis coach, Lindsay Johnson reached quite a milestone.
After missing the playoffs every year since 2011, the Northside boys took second in Region 1-4A and subsequently a spot in the state tournament. The Patriots responded by winning its first round matchup against Richmond Academy.
Due to the team’s turnaround, Johnson has been named the All-Bi-City Boys Tennis Coach of the Year.
Johnson said Northside had several interested players in the offseason but started weeding out those who weren’t good for the program. The group that remained consisted of eight players, each of which had a strong work ethic.
That, Johnson said, was the key to the team’s run in 2017.
“I think it just came down to effort and working hard,” Johnson said. “I think when those sets got close, our boys just pretty much outworked other teams until they found ways to win. As a coach, that’s all I care about. I want to have good players around, but I would much rather have a kid who worked hard over a kid who’s talented any day of the week.”
Johnson estimated Northside was sixth in the region in 2016 before moving up four spots this past season. Along with the hard-working team, Johnson complimented senior Alex Tongson, who led the team as the No. 1 singles player and came through consistently.
The Patriots had little breathing room in a competitive region, but the team stretched a strong season when region matches began. Johnson credited the victories in the close matches to the team’s tenacity, leading the players to just find ways to win.
The playoff berth was special enough for the Patriots. The 5-0 shutout against Richmond Academy just made it even more enjoyable.
“I loved it for them,” said Johnson, who also coaches Northside’s volleyball team. “A lot of athletes don’t get to experience state, much less going to the second round of state. I just think it’s special for the kids. I always want them to be able to experience the state tournament.”
Northside ultimately lost to Marist, but Johnson made it apparent the defeat didn’t take away from the season. She said the team’s success was a testament to how hard work can pay off, adding it was special for the players’ parents to see their sons play one more week of tennis.
“I really would have never thought this group of boys would make the Sweet 16,” Johnson said. “The fact these boys did that this year, it was super special. Just watching them from beginning to the end, I would say they were the most improved team in our region. They improved so much and just found ways to win.”
This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 4:43 PM with the headline "Lindsay Johnson named All-Bi-City Boys Tennis Coach of the Year."