ALHS says goodbye to Jessica Browne

Morgan Hughes

As this fall sports season comes to a close, ALHS says goodbye to Jessica Browne, who has forever changed the ALHS girls tennis program for the better. Browne took a look at the talent already present at ALHS and decided to make the program into something really special.

“When I started as Head Girls Tennis Coach 5 seasons ago I joined a school with a rich history of athletic excellence - tennis being no exception,” Browne said. “However, I felt that the development of our JV level players was not enough to continue to achieve success at a varsity level and that too many players were not getting the opportunity to actually compete.”

Browne decided to take this problem into her own hands, and worked hard to create an opportunity for a lot more tennis players to compete against other schools.

“My proudest achievement is creating our third team, Varsity B,” Browne said. “We now have 21 starting positions for girls tennis and deserving players at all grade and skill levels have a chance to play for our school and gain valuable experience for the seasons to come and the next steps ahead of them in life after high school.”

Browne is moving to California this fall. However, her impact on the ALHS tennis program as a whole will likely last for decades. She was not only a coach but also an inspiration and friend.

“I am going to miss coaching at Avon Lake so much,” Browne said. “ I truly believe that we have the best coaches, players, parents and school in the area. Being involved in the Shoregals tennis program as a coach, player, parent or fan is such a privilege and I will never forget all of my girls, the fun, the laughter, and the amazing tennis I got to witness over these past few years.”