BREVARD, N.C. - Throughout the Fall, the Brevard College Department of Athletics will be highlighting its staff members in a tri-weekly Staff Highlight Series, giving members of the Athletic Administration and Coaching Staff the opportunity to introduce themselves to the BC community through a series of questions and biographical elements.
Next up in BC's Staff Highlight Series is Brevard College Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach Brad Jones, a former tennis student-athlete at Emory & Henry College.
bctornados.com: What has been your favorite professional memory?
Coach Jones: Watching kids develop and grow on and off the tennis court.
bctornados.com: What makes Brevard College a special place?
Coach Jones: The support within the Brevard community, the amazing Bob Ross-esque sunrises and sunsets, and of course the white squirrels!
bctornados.com: Who has been the biggest influence in your professional career?
Coach Jones: I can't really pinpoint one person. I have taken something from every single one of my tennis instructors, coaches, and mentors.
bctornados.com: What is some advice you would give to young people looking to get into the profession?
Coach Jones: To enjoy the journey! "Success is in the journey, not the destination."
Coach Jones prepping his teams before a match at the McCoy Tennis Complex.
Brad Jones was named Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach at Brevard College in the summer of 2019 and enters his second season at the helm of the Tornado Tennis programs.
Jones arrived at Brevard College after spending two seasons as Head Coach of NCAA Division III Bethany College, located in Bethany, West Virginia.
In his last season at Bethany College, Jones led the men's tennis team to an 11-7 overall record and a 4-3 record in the President's Athletic Conference (PAC). His women's team finished 2018-19 with seven overall wins and two conference victories. In his first season as head coach at Bethany in 2017-18, Jones snapped a four-year losing drought before his arrival for the women's team en route to four wins, the most since 2011. On the men's side, highlights included guiding Bethany's Drake Berlin to an impressive 10-5 record in no. 2 singles.
Prior to his tenure at Bethany College, Jones was the Tennis Pro at Westwood Country Club in Vienna, Virginia. He also served as the Director of Tennis at the Darnestown Swim & Tennis Club in Darnestown, Maryland, and the Assistant Tennis Coach at the River Falls Swim & Tennis Club in Potomac, Maryland.
Jones began his collegiate tennis coaching career in 2009-10 as an Assistant Coach and then Interim Head Coach at NCAA Division III Emory & Henry College in Virginia. His time coaching at Emory & Henry College was highlighted by a trip to the 2010 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship Quarterfinals by the men's team which finished with a 15-6 overall record.
Jones' first experience in coaching came on the high school level where he served as the Head Coach at Abingdon High School in Abingdon, Virginia. As a result of his success at Abingdon High School, he was named the 2009 Southwest District Tennis Coach of the Year.
An accomplished collegiate tennis student-athlete, Jones played at Emory & Henry College where he was named All-Conference as a senior in 2007.
Jones received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Sports Management with a minor in Business from Emory & Henry in 2007 and later earned a Master's of Arts degree from the college in Community and Organizational Leadership. He holds a P2 Certification with the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and an Associate Instructor Certification from the Professional Tennis Registry.
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook. Be sure to follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.
-BC-