THE SHADOWS of the late afternoon sun drape the asphalt courts as the Lincoln County High School (LCHS) tennis team battles its district rival. The rhythmic thwacks of fuzzy yellow balls drilling back and forth punctuate the players’ grunts as they lean into their swings, interrupted periodically by the swish of the net snagging a rogue return.
LCHS’s tennis coach, Jonathan Brown, oversees it all with an experienced eye. For Brown, those familiar sights and sounds characterize his life-long passion and dedication to building the local tennis program. It stems from a simple but deeply felt drive.
“I love tennis and want to grow the sport,” he said.
Tennis roots
Brown’s love affair with tennis took root at an early age. “I started playing when I was around 12 years old and went to a free clinic offered by Bobby Parkes,” Brown recalled.
He immediately took to the sport, signing up for lessons and constantly looking for others to play with in his hometown of Fayetteville. Brown graduated Magna Cum Laude from Austin Peay State University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in accounting, where he was a two-time MVP of the Austin Peay tennis team. He graduated from the Nashville School of Law, obtaining his Tennessee attorney license in 2010.
As a talented young player, Brown met up with a group of gentlemen older than him, including Gerald Stafford, John Jeffries, Joseph Hamilton, and Bobby Alder. He began subbing in for matches when one couldn’t play, absorbing valuable knowledge and mentorship from the experienced group.
Stafford and Jeffries coached the Lincoln County High School tennis team and helped pave the way for Brown’s future coaching career. He spent two years as their assistant before taking over as head coach in 2009, when they stepped down.
Fundamentals, technical skills, and winners
Despite spring sports like soccer, baseball, and softball overshadowing tennis, Brown continues to find ways to draw athletes to his program. The middle school team’s formation a few years ago provided a boost by creating an early feeder system, and his camps and clinics further his goals. He believes these efforts have paid off.
“I feel like the girls were one of the top 10-15 teams in the state this year. And the prior two years, the boys were a top 10 team in the state,” he offered proudly. “The girls have only lost two district matches since 2019.”
Brown’s multi-pronged efforts developed a tennis pipeline in Fayetteville, yielding remarkable high school results. Over his 16-year coaching tenure at Lincoln County High School and five years simultaneously at Fayetteville City High School, Brown has had individuals win two state championships and finished as runners-up three times. From 2017 to now, the girls, boys, or both have won the team district championship. His players have also achieved impressive results, producing 28 singles and doubles champion titles. It’s no wonder Brown is a seven-time coach of the year.
“The ultimate goal is to continue to show kids that tennis is fun, and you can play a nontraditional sport from a small town and be successful,” Brown stated. “We have fun, but we also win championships. Hard work pays off.”
A key factor has been the support of assistant coach Dietmar Berngruber, who has been helping him for more than a decade.
“I couldn’t do it without his help or the help of my wife, Laura, who is also a good tennis player,” Brown explained.
Another essential part of Brown’s approach is an emphasis on practice.
“We practice more than most teams in our district,” he said. “You can tell the kids that want to get better. It’s like the old saying goes — ‘practice makes perfect.’”
Drawing from his own experiences on the court, Brown aims to use tennis to develop character and perspective that extend far beyond the game itself. The joy remains in simply sharing his passion and watching kids develop life lessons along with their skills.
“Tennis is more laid back than other sports, but it doesn’t mean our goals aren’t as high, and we don’t expect to win,” he pointed out.
Looking ahead
Brown is equally passionate about investing in the school’s tennis facilities. His goals are paying off the booster club’s loan obtained for recent court resurfacing and adding lights to extend the use of the courts.
He said, “With no other courts playable [at this time] in town, the high school is all we have, so I would love some additional help from the community to make this a reality.”
The family that plays together stays together. The Browns’ daughters, Haley, 10, and Melly, 8, have grown up around the program.
“Tennis is a family affair in my family,” Brown said. He hopes his children will one day experience being part of a state championship team.
The future of tennis in Lincoln County is bright. Brown’s sustained devotion cultivates a thriving tennis culture that will continue impacting generations of Fayetteville youth. GN
