Timothy Stelling
He has big footsteps to fill, but no fear.
Timothy Stelling is succeeding Ken Stange as Coupeville High School tennis coach, taking the racket from a man who led the Wolf programs for two successful decades.
But while this is his first stint as a high school coach, the new head man has taught as an assistant pro and embraced new adventures all his life.
From rock climbing in his teens to a lifelong love of plunging into the surf in search of killer waves, Stelling is always up for a challenge.
Whether it’s riding a “six-foot swell” at Steamer’s Lane in Santa Cruz, where “all three sections of the wave were connecting for over a half mile ride” or pulling off a complex climb on Middle Cathedral Rock in Yosemite.
Stelling’s latest challenge will be to pull together a girls’ tennis team this spring after most of the roster graduated.
He’ll have some help from new assistant coach Starla Seal, and, weather cooperating, will lead his players on to brand new courts currently being constructed next to the CHS gym.
Next fall, Stelling will get a crack at reviving the Wolf boys’ net program, which has sat out several seasons after the move from 1A to 2B pushed soccer into fall, forcing Coupeville coaches in four boys’ sports to scramble for athletes.
For now, the focus is on the upcoming girl’s season.
“I want to create an environment where teens can develop lifelong relationships,” Stelling said. “For the team to have fun and embrace a sport that they can play into adulthood.
“To enhance and grow the CHS tennis program,” he added.
“To teach tennis to our youth, (and instill) a desire to compete, camaraderie with fellow teammates, and to have a graceful attitude whether you win or lose.”
In his previous coaching work, and his own time playing tennis as a youngster in California and New Jersey, Stelling explored all sides of the sport.
“I believe tennis is as much of a mental/psychological game as it is a physical game,” he said.
“Learning how to manage your inner self is an important part of winning in tennis, and a skill that is needed to succeed in life.”
Ultimately, he’s taking the job with the hope of being a vital part of the town he has embraced.
“I love living in Coupeville,” Stelling said. “I want to give something back to my community.
“I also think that COVID had a significant effect on teens and want to support and encourage youth to embrace both change and challenges.”
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