Nethercutt leaves Rocky Mount High for Faith Christian
By ETHAN JOYCE
Sports Writer ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
A child grows up only once.
That thought line ran through Barry Nethercutt’s mind every time he missed one of his son’s tennis matches.
His son, Jackson, just finished his sophomore season at Northern Nash. Nethercutt, the coach of Rocky Mount High for 29 years, said he watched his son sparingly during his high school career. It’s not a problem either will have to worry about any more.
Jackson Nethercutt received a scholarship to attend Faith Christian School next school year, and Barry will become the new coach of the Patriots boys’ and girls’ tennis programs.
“I hadn’t really considered coaching anywhere else other than Rocky Mount,” Barry Nethercutt said. “. . . I had only seen (Jackson) play four matches in two years when he was at Northern.
“I always missed that opportunity. Things just kind of clicked, and a lightbulb went off. I thought, ‘Wow, I could actually get to coach Jackson his junior and senior year.’ “
Nethercutt’s hiring isn’t official yet, but it will be once the proper paperwork is filed.
Rocky Mount will be losing one of the most successful tennis coaches in North Carolina prep history. According to the North Carolina High School Tennis Coaches Association website, Nethercutt is ranked fourth in boys and third in girls on the wins list for active coaches. He is ranked fifth in boys and seventh in girls in career wins all time.
Nethercutt started coaching the Gryphon boys’ program to start. He inherited the girls team a couple seasons later. Aside from a couple of seasons where he stepped away from the boys’ program, Nethercutt spent nearly three decades molding his programs. It’s not easy to leave behind for him.
“I have made so many good relationships there, and I love the school,” Nethercutt said. “Coach (and athletic director Mike) Gainey has been awesome to work for, and the kids I have had have been super, super kids. “But I am looking forward to starting something new.”
Nethercutt steps away from the Rocky Mount boys program after a successful season. The Gryphons went 13-1 last season, advanced to the third round of the NCHSAA 3-A dual playoffs and returns five of six singles players next season.
“They should have a great year next year, no matter who is coaching them,” Nethercutt said. “Those guys work hard, and getting to the third round kind of whet their appetite for next year.”
Nethercutt said he’s still learning about the Patriots program and players he will inherit. He joked that he might not win a state championship as quickly as baseball coach Greg Clifton, who led FCS to a NCISAA 2-A state title on Saturday, but he thinks he can build strong teams.
“I want to teach them to play tennis the smart way like we have been doing at Rocky Mount,” Nethercutt said. “I want to teach them how to want to win. “I just want to see if I can turn it into a winning, year-in-and-year-out quality team.”
By ETHAN JOYCE
Sports Writer ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
A child grows up only once.
That thought line ran through Barry Nethercutt’s mind every time he missed one of his son’s tennis matches.
His son, Jackson, just finished his sophomore season at Northern Nash. Nethercutt, the coach of Rocky Mount High for 29 years, said he watched his son sparingly during his high school career. It’s not a problem either will have to worry about any more.
Jackson Nethercutt received a scholarship to attend Faith Christian School next school year, and Barry will become the new coach of the Patriots boys’ and girls’ tennis programs.
“I hadn’t really considered coaching anywhere else other than Rocky Mount,” Barry Nethercutt said. “. . . I had only seen (Jackson) play four matches in two years when he was at Northern.
“I always missed that opportunity. Things just kind of clicked, and a lightbulb went off. I thought, ‘Wow, I could actually get to coach Jackson his junior and senior year.’ “
Nethercutt’s hiring isn’t official yet, but it will be once the proper paperwork is filed.
Rocky Mount will be losing one of the most successful tennis coaches in North Carolina prep history. According to the North Carolina High School Tennis Coaches Association website, Nethercutt is ranked fourth in boys and third in girls on the wins list for active coaches. He is ranked fifth in boys and seventh in girls in career wins all time.
Nethercutt started coaching the Gryphon boys’ program to start. He inherited the girls team a couple seasons later. Aside from a couple of seasons where he stepped away from the boys’ program, Nethercutt spent nearly three decades molding his programs. It’s not easy to leave behind for him.
“I have made so many good relationships there, and I love the school,” Nethercutt said. “Coach (and athletic director Mike) Gainey has been awesome to work for, and the kids I have had have been super, super kids. “But I am looking forward to starting something new.”
Nethercutt steps away from the Rocky Mount boys program after a successful season. The Gryphons went 13-1 last season, advanced to the third round of the NCHSAA 3-A dual playoffs and returns five of six singles players next season.
“They should have a great year next year, no matter who is coaching them,” Nethercutt said. “Those guys work hard, and getting to the third round kind of whet their appetite for next year.”
Nethercutt said he’s still learning about the Patriots program and players he will inherit. He joked that he might not win a state championship as quickly as baseball coach Greg Clifton, who led FCS to a NCISAA 2-A state title on Saturday, but he thinks he can build strong teams.
“I want to teach them to play tennis the smart way like we have been doing at Rocky Mount,” Nethercutt said. “I want to teach them how to want to win. “I just want to see if I can turn it into a winning, year-in-and-year-out quality team.”
