Wallin, Porrovecchio return to tennis courts

By FAITH MOLDAN

Bigfork Eagle

They’re back.

After short absences from the Bigfork High School tennis program, Paul Wallin and Matt Porrovecchio return this season as head coaches.

“I still really enjoy the game and the kids,” Wallin, who coached tennis at BHS for 25 years, said. He resigned as tennis coach at the end of the 2005 season, which opened the door for Porrovecchio.

Porrovecchio and Matt Jensen coached both the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams last year, but neither were set to return as coaches this year.

“I was working on my master’s,” Porrovecchio, the girls’ head coach this season, said as his reason for not returning. Once he heard Wallin, who coached him in tennis at BHS, was set to return as coach he decided to come back as well. “I wanted to work with Paul (Wallin).” Porrovecchio and doubles partner Will Steck finished second at the state tournament in 1994, Porrovecchio’s senior year.

This season’s assistant tennis coach Tanya Potts also found success at BHS under Wallin’s tutelage on the courts. A new addition to the tennis staff, Potts took 4th place at the state tournament her senior year — 1999 — in singles play.

Karen Berg joins the tennis program this year, as well.

“She’s super-qualified,” Porrovecchio said.

Wallin, the boys’ head coach this season, echoed that statement, saying that Berg is very enthusiastic about coaching. Berg was a tennis instructor in Minnesota and her husband was a pro at a club there as well. She will be helping out at multiple levels, including both the junior varsity and varsity teams.

Rounding out the coaching staff for the 2007 season is Dennis Sabo. Sabo serves as a volunteer coach for the second year in a row. Having played tennis himself, Sabo said he is happy to be out on the courts with the kids, including his son Jordan. As a volunteer Sabo also hopes to bring to attention the need for indoor courts and community involvement in the program.

Head coaches Wallin and Porrovecchio are optimistic about the upcoming season. The team, full of a large number of underclassmen, began practice Monday.

“We had a good turnout,” Porrovecchio said. “It’s a young squad,” he added of the girls’ team.

Returning from last year’s squad are top players Roxy Thurman, Quindee Averill and Breanna Hughes. Thurman and Averill are sophomores, while Hughes is a senior.

“There might be a couple surprises, a couple sneakers,” Porrovecchio said about the girls’ team.

The boys’ team returns a large number of players from last season, including senior Owen Roberts who with doubles partner Joe Wolstein placed second at state.

“He’s the top returning boy,” Wallin said. “They have more experience,” he added about the boys’ team.

Also returning for the Vikings are Scott Taylor, Shawn Barrett, Kainoa Lake, Dylan Richmond, Jordan Sabo and David Meyers. Freshman Bridger Mahlum and junior Tyler Butts join the team as well.