John Paul II hires 1st tennis coach, seeks new volleyball coach

While John Paul II Catholic School has found its first tennis coach right on campus, officials are casting a wider net in the search for its second volleyball coach.

Tanya Anderson, who teaches middle school science at the Ridgeland school, was named Tuesday to head up the tennis program that will launch next year. The former Appalachian State player previously coached boys’ and girls’ teams at Hibriten High in North Carolina before relocating to the Lowcountry.

“It’s always ideal if you can find somebody on campus who sees the kids every day,” athletics director Matt Dakolios said. “With a school our size, it’s rare that we find a person qualified to both teach here and be a head coach. When you find that, it’s almost a no-brainer.”

Tennis will become the 11th sport offered at John Paul II, which this year added boys’ golf and played its first varsity football season.

Meanwhile, the school is accepting inquiries from coaches who are interested in helping Golden Warriors volleyball continue to grow. Sean Custer stepped aside at the end of last season after three years laying the groundwork.

Dakolios said the school has reached out to local clubs and other connections, “but we know there are a lot of passionate, energetic, knowledgeable people in the area. We just have to find the right one.”

The new coach also will oversee the development of JP2’s junior varsity and middle school teams, along with providing input into hiring assistants.

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This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 8:17 PM with the headline "John Paul II hires 1st tennis coach, seeks new volleyball coach."