Math Teacher Bridget Wakelin the New Girls’ Tennis Coach
Former Abington Tennis captain returns to the courts
Ms. Bridget Wakelin joined the Abington High School faculty in 2019-2020 as a math teacher. Prior to that, she was a student at the High School.
As a student, Wakelin was the captain of the Abington Tennis team from 2008 to 2011.
It is important to understand that being a varsity athlete can be stressful sometimes, but having fun is the most important part of it all.
— Ms. Bridget Wakelin
This year, she will be adding to her resume. She accepted the position as the head coach of the Varsity Tennis team for the 2021 season.
Wakelin has seen growth from where the program started to what it is today. “Since I had started tennis, the program has improved tremendously. The number of students participating has increased and the new tennis courts have really helped to allow more students to play and spend more time practicing,” Wakelin said.
When Wakelin became a math teacher at the high school in 2019, she just so happened to come to Abington during Coach James Prizio’s last year of coaching the Girls Tennis team.
Being able to coach a sport she loves is meaningful. “This opportunity is something I did not want to pass up. Tennis was such a huge part of my high school career. I want to make sure my players do not forget the fun experiences we will have together,” Wakelin said.
Now that Wakelin is adding on to her workload, her days are going to be looking a little different. The addition of coaching will change up her schedule. But Wakelin has previous coaching experience that will help.
She said, “I want to make sure I take what I have learned through my experiences coaching soccer and basketball and bring them to the tennis court.”
“Because tennis practice usually begins right after school, I must be very organized when it comes to planning, grading, and teaching my courses. I spend most of my free periods prepping for future classes and devote time out of school to grading assignments,” Wakelin said.
Seeing this is Ms. Wakelin’s first year coaching tennis, she will be spending some time getting to know her players. “My main expectation for the team is for them to enjoy their time together. My second is for them to arrive to practice and matches ready to give their best efforts. As a coach, that is all I can ask for,” she said.
Wakelin doesn’t just want to be just a coach. “I want to be a positive role model for my players. I want them to come to practice knowing that they will leave in a better mood than when they showed up. It is important to understand that being a varsity athlete can be stressful sometimes, but having fun is the most important part of it all,” she said.
Wakelin is looking ready for this upcoming 2021 season, which begins on May 6.
Bridget Wakelin • Apr 14, 2021 at 8:51 AM
John! Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me – well done!!