Interview with Wofford's Coach Krissy Hall by Lizl Kotz
“If you win and don’t learn anything, then that’s a loss. If you lose and learn something, then that’s a win.”
Wofford Tennis Team (Wofford College Photo Credit)
How has your coaching style evolved over the past 16 years as a college coach?
“When I became a parent, my coaching style took a turn. I started my coaching career out very result-oriented with my teams. This style of coaching was not enjoyable and it did not help me get the results I wanted. Being a mom opened my eyes to the journey children are on and I realized the great opportunity I have to be a positive part of that. I now see my job as not only developing my players to be the best players they can be , but also to prepare them for their future. We focus on life skills that will help them become who they aspire to be. My number one goal is for them to graduate from Wofford and feel prepared for their next stage of life. Yes, we love to win and yes our goal is to have the best season possible, but there is so much more to it. Incorporating this big-picture view into my coaching makes my job so much more meaningful and my players compete better with this mindset.”
In my experience, the transition from college sports to life after college caught me off guard. My identity was completely wrapped up into being an athlete. Did you also experience this as a college athlete and how do you help your players prepare for this transition?
“Yes, I totally agree. I played for Virginia Tech and my identity was wrapped up into my sport and my result. Process over outcome is a big theme for our team. I believe that this mindset brings out the best both on and off the court. We absolutely need drive and passion towards our tennis goals but our confidence should not be defined by our wins and losses. I teach my players that their confidence comes first from their character and who they are as people. Not only does this mindset help smooth the transition to life after college, but it also helps ease the pressures that negatively affect performance.”
How are you coaching your players who have returned to their home towns and home countries during the pandemic?
“There is so much that can be learned from these unprecedented and challenging times. This pandemic is giving my players real-life practice with a lot of the concepts we talk about all of the time. Being positive through tough situations, being grateful for the opportunities we have, living in the present moment, and taking advantage of each and every moment that we have.
Coaching now is remote. I have been checking in with my girls on a regular basis to see how they are holding up and how classes are going. I send handwritten notes and videos covering a variety of mental growth topics. This week we discussed what each of us are learning through this crisis. Tennis has a huge mental component and I am using this time to make sure my players stay sharp mentally. The girls understand that there is a purpose for every step of their journey and this abrupt stop to their season has not stopped them from working towards their ultimate legacy. They know that we will get through this time together as a team and that we will Conquer and Prevail (Woffords Athletics motto).
Recruiting a player seems very much like a job interview. A happy player is a good player. What steps do you take to ensure athletes are set up for a good experience at Wofford?
I ask my recruits to take a campus tour first before I even meet with them. It’s so important to me that they love Wofford first. On their official visit, I have them attend classes and meet with professors in their anticipated field of study. We both know players who chose their colleges solely based on tennis and if the tennis portion does not work out, they are miserable for four years. If my players get injured or for some reason can’t play anymore, I want them to still have a good college experience because they love their school apart from the tennis program.
For the past three years, at the end of May, you and I compete together as teammates in the Senior Cup tennis team event. You are an incredible teammate because of your positive energy. How has competing as an adult helped you in your coaching?
“Competing as an adult helps me tremendously as a coach. It is very easy to forget how hard the battle can be. As a spectator, it’s so easy to be critical and say ‘you should have done that’. Putting myself in pressure moments as an adult player gives me fresh insight into the range of raw emotions during a match. It makes me better at coaching my players out of a hard moment because I can ask myself: ‘what tone would I want to hear if I was the one competing.’”
Tribute by rising senior Brittney Wilbur (San Antonio, TX):
“Coach Hall has taught me how to be on a team. Tennis is an individual sport up until college and many players struggle with the transition of playing for yourself to playing for a team. She creates an unbelievable team atmosphere where we are excited to play for each other. She builds our team like she builds a house. She lays the foundation of work ethic. The framework consists of love, grit, and energy. The roof is constructed of resilience, and inside this house our team resides as a family.
Coach Hall’s coaching style has helped me on and off the court by recognizing the positives over the negatives. She coaches in such a positive way that makes it impossible to get down on myself. Off the court, if something goes south in my day, my brain has been trained to look at the positives which helps me push through the hard stuff. Like many athletes, I am guilty of being a perfectionist and she has taught me that it’s ok to make mistakes. She always says “if you win and don’t learn anything, then that is a loss. If you lose and learn something, then that’s a win.
As a team we jokingly refer to Coach Hall as ‘mom’ but honestly, she knows just when to be Coach and when to take on the role as Mom. She doesn’t have to, but she does. She takes care of us like we are her own and we appreciate her so much.”
SC Senior Cup Team Champs (Tedi Doncheva, Tabatha Butler, Krissy Hall, Lizl Kotz