Since 1999, Coach Andraea Drabenstott has been coaching both the Southern Lehigh High School boys and girls tennis teams. This year, she will be stepping down and preparing for her life in retirement.
Drabenstott completed her last season as the boys tennis coach at the end of the 2023 season. Now she is finishing her last season as the girls tennis coach. Throughout her time as a coach, she feels as though she has grown as a person.
“It’s made me more patient, being around many personalities,” Coach Drabenstott said. “You have to be patient, you have to be flexible.”
As a coach, she enjoys having an impact on the lives of her athletes. She has the ability to help them grow and learn from their mistakes.
“I love having a positive influence on high school aged kids,” Drabenstott said.
Once her resignation is official, Athletic Director Mr. Spengler will begin to look for a new head coach to fill the position for the girls team. This same process is used with finding new coaches for every team. Finding a new tennis coach to be a leader and influence for the young athletes will be challenging, but not impossible. Mr. Spengler is prepared to get this position filled for next season.
“The district posts [the position] on social media,” he said. “It’s also on our school website, and then, depending on the sport, I’ll reach out to different organizations and different colleges and college coaches.”
Coach Drabenstott’s encouragement and positivity will be missed on the courts.
“She’s a very good coach in the way that she doesn’t get mean or harsh about it,” said junior Paige Pawloski, “but she actually helps you correct what you did wrong.
Having a new coach for the team will be an adjustment for all returning players since Drabenstott has been with Southern Lehigh for so long. A new coach could bring a new style. The team hopes to continue to succeed as they did while being coached by Drabenstott.
“It’ll help us come closer to each other,” said Pawlowski about the team getting used to having a new coach.
Even though it is time for this beloved coach to move on to retirement, she will still continue to teach lessons at Winning Touch Tennis and play recreationally. In her new free time she plans to travel with her husband and spend time with her parents.
“I’m trying to get into more volunteering, helping people, and just being around different people,” said Drabenstott.