NGU tennis coach uses his past to drive the present
Posted by The Skyliner on April 1st, 2009Paul Conner
Staff Writer
The road from Texas to South Carolina has been an interesting one for North Greenville tennis coach Mark Elliot. Central to his story has been the game of tennis.
Elliot was heavily involved in athletics as a boy growing up in Tampa, Texas. He was encouraged to focus on tennis specifically by his mother.
“It was pretty much my mom’s encouragement,” Elliot said. “I was involved in a lot of sports, and for some reason, she liked tennis, so she tried to push me in that direction.”
Elliot competed for Tampa High School, graduating in 1981, just as Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe were renewing their famous rivalry at the 1981 U.S. Open.
“Those are the two players who I looked up to the most,” Elliot said. “They were just coming into their prime in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. I definitely wanted to emulate them.”
Elliot went on to play for South Plains College, a two-year college located near Lovett, Texas. After graduating, Elliot jumped into the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Satellite Circuit, a professional tennis league that is a stepping-stone toward the international circuit.
After a two-year career, Elliot was hired as an instructor at the Gary Johnson Tennis Academy in Woodstock, Ga., which coaches some of the top junior-level players in the world. He has coached J.J. Jackson, Kim Kessaris, Stacey Martin, Sarah Guzick and Mary Carlisle White in his instructing career, some of the top junior pros in the U.S.
Elliot’s life began to change when he started coaching Trevor Smith, son of International Tennis Hall of Fame member Stan Smith. The elder Smith was the number one player in the world in 1972 and played alongside Bob Lutz in one of the most successful doubles teams of all time. In addition, he was also a Christian who pointed Elliot to Christ.
“He was the person who had the greatest influence on me,” Elliot said. “He was a Christian who really impacted me. There are not too many number one tennis players who are Christians.”
Eight years ago, Elliot started his own academy for up-and-coming players, which is now located at the Greer Tennis Center. He also headed up the National Christian Collegiate Athletics Association national tournament and came to meet the North Greenville tennis program during that time.
Elliot was hired as the men’s and women’s teams coach in 2005 and has since been named NCCAA Coach of the Year three times and has won three NCCAA National Championships with the men’s team.
The Crusaders won six straight national titles until last year’s semifinal exit, and Elliot is hoping to continue to build on the recent success.
“When I got here, there was a solid foundation,” Elliot said. “I’ve just tried to build upon it since I’ve been here.”