28 Inside Hokie Sports Elissa Hill (EH): You enjoyed a tremendous playing career, and you have stayed involved in tennis through a successful path in coaching. Will you tell us more about your journey to date? Krissy (Stubbs) Hall (KH): Tennis has been a major part of my life since a young age. Tennis has always been a small piece of how I have defined my life. As a player, and now as a coach, tennis has allowed me to grow personally and meet new people. I started my coaching career as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech. I am forever grateful for the opportunity as it allowed me to get started in my career. I had such a great experience as a student-athlete at Virginia Tech that I wanted other young women to have the same experience that I did. That passion along with my competitive nature made college coaching the perfect profession for me. I am entering my 20th year in coaching, with stops as an assistant coach at Washington State, head coach at The University of Wyoming, head coach at the University of Alabama Birmingham, and I am now entering my 11th year as the women’s head coach at Wofford College. EH: Thinking back to your time in Blacksburg, what is your best memory? KH: Tennis was the catalyst that allowed me to attend Virginia Tech as a student-athlete. The most enjoyable part of the experience is without question the relationships that I built with my teammates and coaches. The early morning practices, road trips, wins, losses, study hall, I could not have asked for a better group of teammates and support system. I will never forget freshman year when we won the A-10 Championship which were being hosted in Blacksburg. It rained and all matches had to be played indoors. Our first-round match against Fordham went on the courts at 2:00 AM! I also remember getting snowed in on our trip to Notre Dame, our Spring Break trip to Bermuda, and defeating the 27th ranked Oregon Ducks. There are so many other memories both on and off court with my teammates and coaches that I will always cherish. EH: How did your playing and coaching experiences impact your coaching philosophy? KH: Coaching is so much more than X’s and O’s and the athletic accomplishments that are achieved by our student-athletes. It is about showing your athletes that you care about them as a person first, that you are committed to their goals, and that you have confidence in them as a person and player. My coaching philosophy is to inspire, empower, and encourage young women to be best they can be both on-and-off the court. The number of student athletes that will stay involved in athletics after their college career is rather small, and therefore I enjoy the opportunity to not only develop them on the court, but more importantly help them develop skills they can use throughout their entire life. I enjoy building relationships with my players that extend past their time with me on the court. I love attending their weddings, baby showers, and big life events. I love catching up with what is going on in their lives, seeing them at matches, and even grabbing lunch or dinner when we are in the same town. As a coach I have been given the opportunity to positively impact young woman in numerous ways and it all started with my experience at Virginia Tech. EH: What does being a Hokie mean to you? KH: Being a Hokie is so much more than just being a student, athlete, professor, alumni, fan, etc., it means being a part of a family. The bond that all Hokies share remains with every Hokie throughout their entire life. As I travel around coaching, I always meet other Hokies who I can talk to and share stories about Virginia Tech. The memories of my time in Blacksburg will always be something I cherish. I will always be a Hokie! Continued from page 27 Krissy (Stubbs) Hall 99 Bradley Drive Christiansburg NRV Mall 540-381-8100 www.holidayinn.com/cburgnorth Full Service Restaurant Bar & Grill Game Day Catering. Dine in or Room Service Welcome Back HOKIES!
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