From courts to coach of the year: Wakefield Hare leaves a legacy

By Calvin Silvers

The Savannah Savages boys’ tennis team recently achieved an impressive 2nd place finish in the Class 1 District 16 Tournament, highlighted by Cole Horton’s victory in the Class 1 singles state championship. This remarkable success did not go unnoticed, as MSHSAA honored head coach Wakefield Hare with the prestigious 2023-2024 Boys Tennis Coach of the Year award.

Hare is deeply grateful to his players for dedicating their limited time and energy to the program and to the parents who entrusted him with their children’s development and growth in the sport.

“I would say the primary feeling was gratitude,” Hare said. “It takes a lot of people who care a lot to achieve some of the things we’ve achieved. The parents who always gave me full support and trust when I was asking their sons to do some very difficult things, but they trusted the process, knowing we were producing something great.”

The former head coach was drawn to the position after noticing a group of young men consistently practicing on the courts during the late summer nights. Intrigued, he became their head coach, eager to share his insights on enhancing the team’s performance while still gaining valuable experience.

Fortunately, high school tennis doesn’t command the same spotlight as some other sports, allowing him the time to find his footing and develop his coaching style.

“You have a program that does give some allowance for learning along the way, and I think that helped me a lot,” Hare said. “Probably some of the ground of which the fruits of what we’ve got to see and produce happen because, hey, when you come with a blank slate, you have the ability to think about the sport, think about these boys differently.”

Hare recently stepped away from the Savages’ program, recognizing that his time, like everyone else’s, is limited. This transition has afforded him the opportunity to focus on his business and spend more time with his family.

“I’m hopeful that even this recognition is happening now, I hope the greatest fruit is yet to come,” Hare said. “Just to care not about tennis, not about Savannah tennis, but to care about young people who are our future.”

While saying goodbye to something you’re proud of and have invested so much time and effort into is never easy, Hare understood that this decision was the right one for him and his future.

“Perhaps it was this recognition that helped me see, like, hey, if there’s something that I’m giving myself to, to make sure I’m not letting the other areas of life not be excellent as well,” Hare said. “one recognition that kind of a sweet ending to this season of life.”