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Long Beach State University Athletics
Getting to know Hannah Grady
6/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
June 28, 2011
Long Beach, Calif. -
Can you detail your coaching path to Long Beach State?
I grew up in England and started playing tennis for fun at the age of 5. I played at a high level throughout my junior career and traveled with the British team. At 17 however, I decided I would like to continue with education alongside tennis, and therefore, looked to come to university in America. I knew a girl at Long Beach, and therefore got in touch with Jenny [Hilt-Costello]. I was offered a scholarship and immediately accepted for that January. (Even though it was already late October at this point!) I played on the team for the entire duration of my eligibility and loved my time here at Long Beach. At the end of my final season of eligibility the assistant coach got a new job, and therefore, I was very fortunate that the position also became available. I was finishing my undergrad so planned to help coach the team for one semester, but when that came to an end, I was very fortunate/grateful as Jenny offered me the option to continue with the job. I immediately accepted, and have now been working in the position for the last two years while also working towards my masters at Long Beach State.
Beyond winning a championship, what are your goals for the upcoming season?
Obviously we are always looking to win our conference and make it to NCAAs, but we are also looking to improve our ranking. Our initial team goal is to make top 30, but after that we are looking at the top 25, and then the top 20. In addition to these outcome goals, we also want to have many performance goals. As a coach, my goal is to make sure each member of the team is able to fulfill and maximize her potential, and I want to make sure that I create a positive environment that allows each girl to fully progress. Obviously as a coach I want to make sure each girl succeeds both on the tennis court and in the classroom, and therefore, I think that my main goal is to ensure that we have a hardworking, happy and cohesive group of girls.
Who is an exciting new player we will see on your team next season?
We have two new girls joining us next semester; a Belgian, Laura Bernard and a Russian, Karolina Rozenberg. We are looking forward to both of them joining us given their excellent junior records, and therefore, they are likely to have an immediate impact on the team. Obviously we are a small group so every addition makes a huge impact, and therefore, as part of the coaching staff I am extremely excited to have two new players to work with, and also new talent that will help us improve as a team.
What is your recruiting philosophy? To recruit talented players who are motivated and work hard on the tennis court and in the classroom. We obviously want girls who have the potential to develop throughout their time here, and those who are excited to come and be a part of The Beach. We are also looking for individuals who will fit into the group dynamic, and girls that have goals and desires that correlate with the Beach Tennis philosophy.
How important are the summer months to the development of your team?
Summer is very important for the team although it is very different in our group given that many of the girls spend their summer in Europe. As a coach this obviously means that we do not get to spend time with many of them, but it gives that ability for the girls to get great experience playing abroad. The summer itself gives the girls time to learn about themselves and their games more, and it enables them time to work on any weaknesses that they felt needed improvement during the previous season. Additionally, the summer is also a very important time to prepare for the individual tournaments that we play in the Fall, and given that our first competition starts at the end of September, it is a very important time to make sure that each person gets in good shape and is ready to play.
If someone asked you for a recommendation where to eat in the Long Beach area, where would you say to go?
I would probably recommend either Magic Lamp or Open Sesame on Second Street. Both are Mediterranean restaurants with excellent food, and although there are many great places to eat in the Long Beach area, Belmont Shore is a great place to visit, especially if you are a newcomer.
Outside of coaching and sports, what are your hobbies?
I like to run and keep as active as possible! I also like to read and travel.
If you had a weekend off during the season and you weren't allowed to work, what would you do with the free time?
If it was during season, it would be likely that I would have to spend my time studying! However, if I had a completely free weekend I would make sure I caught up with some sleep, and spent some time enjoying life in Southern California. On an ideal weekend I would like to perhaps spend time in Laguna, Newport or San Clemente with my boyfriend, and I would also like to make sure I used to time to catch up with family and friends back home.
What vacation spot has been your favorite to visit?
I was very lucky to travel a lot for tennis as a junior, and I would have to say that my favorite country for visiting is Thailand. I also love the south of Europe however, and I really enjoyed the vacations I took to both Crete and Italy whilst growing up.
Dodgers or Angels, and why? Lakers or Clippers, and why?
I would love to answer Manchester United to a question like this! Growing up in England I was surrounded by football (soccer), and had never even seen baseball until I came to America. Since I have been here however, I would definitely have to say that I follow the Lakers on a basketball front, and I now at least know the rules of baseball! At this point, I can't say that I am either a Dodgers or Angels fan however, although I have been lucky enough to go to both stadiums, and therefore, only time will tell which way I will eventually fall!
