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Family of Former Tennis Coach Donates $50,000
Robbins and Hendricks Family Donate Towards New Facility
January 29, 2008
LONG BEACH-- Les and Cindy Robbins, along with her brother John Hendricks,
have donated $50,000 in support of the Gloria and Bob Hendricks Family
Scoreboard for the Long Beach State Rhodes Tennis Facility, which recently
received a $1.25 million donation from Terry Rhodes.
Gloria served as the women’s tennis coach from 1975-80, and Cindy,
her daughter, played the sport for the 49ers before graduating in 1974
as an accounting major. Les, Cindy’s husband, also a 1974
graduate from CSULB, majored in geography.
“We thought it was a great way to honor Cindy’s parents because
tennis was such a huge part of their lives, as it was with Cindy,”
said Les Robbins, who worked in law enforcement and also served as a councilman
for a decade in Long Beach’s fifth District representing the city’s
East side. “At the same time it gives us the opportunity to
give back to the university. We believe in giving back. This
was just another way to continue doing that.”
“The women’s tennis project is something that they were committed
to supporting from the beginning,” said David Benedict, senior associate
athletics director for external relations. “When the project
was officially approved by the university, they immediately stepped forward
and presented the university with a gift. This gift is very special;
it not only enhances the new facility but also recognizes a legacy of
involvement in our women’s tennis program.”
The Robbins have been avid supporters of 49er athletics for more than
a decade as were the Hendricks before they passed away -- Bob in December
2006 and Gloria in June 2007.
“The person who got us involved in Long Beach State athletics was
(women’s volleyball coach) Brian Gimmillaro,” said Les. “He
invited us to one of their end-of-the-season banquets and we sat next
to Bob and Sylvia Maxson because at that time I was a Long Beach city
councilman. We were highly impressed with the banquet and the way
they did it and the way they honored the kids at the end of the year.
We became volleyball fanatics and got on the Jewels of the Night
committee. Bob and Gloria became avid women’s and men’s
volleyball fans.”
Bob was the long-time coach of the boys’ tennis team at Wilson High
School while Gloria’s only stint as a coach was the five seasons
at CSULB, getting the job because she was “in the right place at
the right time,” according to Les, adding that her experience certainly
qualified her to coach.
“Cindy’s father was the tennis coach at Wilson High School
for about 25 years and both were very avid and active tennis players socially,”
said Robbins, “and they were very involved in an organization that
is still exists today, Long Beach Tennis Patrons. Through that group,
they assisted younger people in learning the game and fundraising for
junior squads and young kids coming up in the tennis world. They
were very much a tennis family and both of them played up until the last
few years of their lives.”
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