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04/14/2016 12:00 AMFormer Valley Regional tennis coach Gary Ribchinsky was recently named the 2015-’16 Connecticut High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year for girls’ tennis and will be honored with his fellow recipients at the AquaTurf Club in Southington on Thursday, May 12. It was an honor that was long overdue for Ribchinsky, but one that actually came after his retirement from the Warriors in 2014.
“I was surprised, shocked even, because I’m not coaching this year, but they wanted to give the award to me. I immediately questioned the committee. Their answer was that I was voted on unanimously for my service, record, and longtime achievements.” Gary says. “It’s nice when your peers vote for you and an honor. It means so much to me, but it’s also about the kids and the parents and everyone at the school who worked for so long to build a great program.”
Gary began coaching the boys’ tennis squad at Valley in 2002 and compiled a record of 30-2 with two second-place finishes in the Shoreline Conference. In 2005, he went to the girls’ team and coached them up until two years ago. Gary’s record during his tenure with the Warriors’ girls was an impressive 106 wins against 36 losses and included a Shoreline Conference championship in 2007.
Old Saybrook girls’ tennis coach Ruthanne Rothman has seen Gary’s love for tennis on display on both the high school circuit, as well as at the Old Saybrook Racquet Club, and feels his personality helps maximize the potential of his pupils.
“I have known Gary for almost 20 years through our mutual connection to the Old Saybrook Racquet Club. He is completely passionate about the sport of tennis, second only to his love and passion for his family. Luckily for him, his family is a tennis family!,” says Rothman. “As a high school coach, he always brought his energy and enthusiasm, along with his personal style, to the courts. As the Valley girls’ tennis coach, he had a way of nurturing his players, while instilling in them the technical discipline that brought out the best in each girl. He is well-respected throughout the tennis community by parents, players, and coaches alike.”
Gary is now dedicated to teaching tennis at the Essex Parks and Recreation Department, where he spends many hours coaching kids aged 5 through 18. Gary has been with the program for 28 years and has seen players go from picking up their first racquet to finishing their high school careers in the State Tournament and then go on to play in college.
“It’s an amazing feeling to see kids grow and mature into adults and play tennis at a high level. There is nothing more rewarding. It fuels you as a coach and is contagious, watching them channel their abilities into positive accomplishments,” says Gary, an Ivoryton native. “The kids at the Park and Rec learn so much and not just from me. I had the Valley high school players come down and teach and work with the kids, too. I felt like it was not only a good way to have the kids learn, but also good for my high school players to acquire the skills necessary to teach tennis. Mentoring young instructors is also a tremendous treat because tennis is such a great sport that you can play your whole life.”
One of the players who Gary instructed, Chelsea Crehan, advanced to the collegiate level by competing for Castleton University in Vermont. She ultimately became the captain of the squad her senior year and was named its Most Valuable Player.
“Gary approached me my sophomore year at Valley and I’d never played tennis before,” Crehan says. “I learned so much from him and he inspired me to never give up. He had a huge impact and helped instill a work ethic in me on and off the court. He’s honestly why I was able to play in college. Gary has so much energy and taught me the skills to get there.”
In addition to teaching at Essex Park and Rec, Gary also gives private lessons and has been a member of the Professional Tennis Registry, which has more than 5,000 members from around the world, for the past 25 years. Recently, Gary upped his tennis certification from the pro level to the professional level for high performance in the 10-and-under age group.
“It was important to gain that distinction because I get to work with the kids at a high level of performance and it is an expansive study of the game. The teaching I do with these students also works as a feeder program for Valley as they get to learn and take those skills on to high school. I feel that is a great opportunity to be a bridge and create positive things for the school because it is such a great place to be,” Gary says. “When I was in day-to-day coaching and helping to build a successful environment there, you really work on motivating the kids in a compact and intense season. I would stress that if you work hard every day, good things will happen. I also used to tell the kids, the first thing I would say to them was, ‘This is a great place to be and that you are going to have a lot of fun.’”
When Gary isn’t teaching tennis to people of all ages, the Boston Conservatory graduate is the percussionist in his group, The Long Island Sound Band, which has played together for 40 years. Gary has also played with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, and at the Goodspeed Opera House. He even owns a recording and video production studio. Both tennis and music run through Gary’s veins and his family shares in his passions. Gary’s wife Julie was a tennis club champion; his son Aaron, a 2005 Valley graduate, captained UConn’s men’s tennis team and works as a tennis pro; as does his daughter Leah, who graduated from Valley in 2007. Gary’s youngest daughter Eva made All-State in tennis for the Warriors in 2012 and is a cello player who’s beginning her masters at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
“Tennis and music are both lifelong passions. The joy of hitting a clean forehand winner and playing a creative drum solo are very similar. Both take studied technique and dedicated practice, as well as the ability to strive for higher goals,” says Gary. “With both tennis and music, the ultimate goal is to have fun, while staying in the moment during a match or performance. Athletic competition, like musical performance, is a lifelong joy because you are able to see the tangible results of all your hard work and preparation. Coaching and teaching is my gift, love, and passion to share.”