Coaching Achievements
Jeff Childress
Position: Head Coach
E-mail:
[email protected] Office Phone: (704) 637-4265
Jeff Childress returned to Catawba in 2004 to assume the duties of Director of Tennis, which includes coaching both the men’s and women’s intercollegiate teams. He also serves as Assistant Athletic Director. In 2005, he earned the C.A. Suther Coaches Award at Catawba.
During his tenure he has guided the men to 200 wins and the women to 96 victories. Childress previously coached men’s tennis at Catawba from 1991-98. During those seven years, Catawba compiled a 78-70 record and earned two trips to the NCAA II regional tournaments, hosting the event in 1996. He took over a depleted squad and after two rebuilding seasons, Catawba posted a 70-40 record over the final five years, including a 26-5 mark in 1998.
Childress left Catawba in 1998 to become the Director of Athletics at Pfeiffer University, where he served in that capacity through 2003. In 2003-04, he served as men’s tennis coach , Assistant Athletic Director, and Sports Information Director.
Childress played tennis for four years at Pfeiffer University from 1985-1989. He served as the graduate assistant for the men and women’s tennis teams at East Carolina University from 1990-1991. Childress received his MA.Ed from East Carolina in 1995.
In December of 2003, Childress was awarded the USTA’s Southern Section Community Service Award. Childress is a USTPA certified teaching tennis professional and also is the Director of the Salisbury City Park Tennis program.
Childress serves as the South Atlantic Committee Chair for men’s tennis, served on the NCAA II East Regional committee, served as the CVAC Athletic Director liaison for men and women’s tennis and served as the Catawba College Tennis Camp Director for seven years. In recent years, Childress has won both the Rowan County and Stanly County singles titles and is a lifetime member of the USTA. Childress has completed two marathons and also enjoys swimming, golf, and biking.
Currently Childress is serving as the SAC Tennis Committee Chair, the NCAA Men's Tennis Southeast Region, and the Southeast ITA Women's Awards Committee.
Childress is married to Dr. Donna Childress, who is employed at Rowan Diagnostics. They have two sons, Michael (12), and Ben (8), and a daughter, Lauren (4). The Childress family resides in Salisbury
