Despite his love of the sport and his passion for teaching, Dave Adams was getting burned out.
As a teacher and coach at Cheyenne Mountain High School, Adams was content indulging in his interests while leading the Indians’ boys tennis team. And as the director of tennis at nearby Colorado College, Adams was able to pursue those interests on a slightly larger stage.
Still, the grind of juggling those roles was wearing him down. When the constant crosstown commute finally grew stale, and it affected his ability to pour his complete effort into every endeavor, Adams decided to put his focus on Cheyenne Mountain.
The Indians’ boys team has captured 14 state championships in Adams’ 22 seasons. When the girls coaching job vacancy opened at Cheyenne Mountain less than five years ago, Adams took over and added to the dominance.
Cheyenne Mountain takes aim at its third girls state championship in Adams’ fourth seasons when, weather permitting, the Class 4A tournament begins today at Pueblo City Park. The Class 5A tournament also gets underway today, at the Gates Tennis Center. (Full brackets: , .)
“I’ve been very lucky that I’ve had some really good kids come through. It can make a guy feel guilty,” Adams said. “I was teaching at the school, and my daughter was coming up, and I wanted to coach her. . . . When the girls job opened up, I thought it would be easier than continuing like that.
“We’ve had some great feeder programs here. With the Country Club of Colorado and with The Broadmoor, we have two big-time programs in our school district. That has been a big help.”
Adams also credits the work of his large staff of assistants and volunteers for keeping the Indians on track. Volunteer coach Doug Kretzinger has been a fixture with the program for years, and their devotion allows every Indians player to have an instructor courtside during every match.
“It’s a little bit of tough love. (Adams) makes us work hard and is always pushing us,” said senior Kris- tina Barber, the Indians’ No. 1 singles player. “In the long run, it’s good, though, because he always is making us better.”
Barber and co-captain Meha Semwal, Cheyenne Mountain’s No. 2 singles player, lead a contingent that will have competitors at every position at the state meet. Cheyenne Mountain also boasts the defending 4A champion at No. 3 singles in junior Emily Venner.
The defending champions have finished worse than third at state only once since 1999 (fourth in 2008). Barring a series of upsets or a particularly strong meet by Regis Jesuit, the Indians likely will add another banner on the already-cluttered walls of their gymnasium.
“Regis is very tough and has the depth to get it done,” Adams said. “Other teams are very strong in certain areas and have positions that could knock us or Regis off and make it more difficult for that team.”
In the 5A tournament, defending champion Cherry Creek ran away from the field last year and should continue its dominant run. The Bruins return two defending state champions in Stephanie McAuley at No. 1 doubles and Lauren Broyhill at No. 4 doubles, though both are competing with different partners this weekend.
The 5A field also features two returning champions in senior Natalie Dunn of Poudre, the defending No. 1 singles champ, and Kaley Carmichael of Ponderosa, the defending No. 3 singles champ who will compete in the No. 2 singles field.
