Outlaws have new tennis coach

David Rowell was recently hired as the new head coach for the boys tennis program. Rowell, 26, played competitive soccer since he was 10 years old, and played tennis in high school.

Rowell graduated from Canby High School and then attended Oregon State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s in math in 2018. While working on his master’s at George Fox University (GFU), David was the JV2 boys soccer coach from 2019-2020 at Canby.

Rowell graduated from GFU and started to send out job applications. In the fall of 2020 Rowell was hired as a math teacher at Sisters High School, where he teaches Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry. He has been an assistant coach with the girls soccer squad under Coach Brian Holden for the past three years, and was hired as the boys tennis coach this past January.

It’s the first time Rowell has coached tennis, but he told The Nugget he knows the sport, loves the sport, and plays for fun.

“The most attractive thing about tennis is that it’s something you can play your whole life,” said Rowell. “There’s so much room for growth and continual learning.”

Last year the boys tennis team only had four players on their roster and this year they are up to nine. Many are out for the sport for the first time. This year will definitely be a building year for the young Outlaws squad, as five of the nine have never played the sport before and will most likely play JV.

Rowell shared with The Nugget that he wants his players to love the sport. He plans to have a lot of activities and games during practice that will help players become more competitive and into the sport. He stated that the games will be low-stakes so athletes won’t feel self-conscious or judgmental about their ability.

“At a small school like Sisters I have a variety of kids, a lot of whom are out for the sport for the first time, and others who are returning players with more experience,” said Rowell. “I’ll need to find a balance while making it for everybody, while teaching fundamentals.

“This season I want more boys to come out for the sport, and see the program continue to grow,” added Rowell. “I’m excited to coach the boys team, and my hope is for them to have a love for tennis while teaching them the fundamentals of the sport.”