A legendary high school tennis coach returns to coaching after his battle with cancer
Dave Adams is the voice of Cheyenne Mountain tennis and has been since 1987. Oddly enough, if it wasn't for Covid-19 pushing back the start of the high school season, he wouldn't have coached this spring, "Oh I couldn't done it," says Cheyenne Mountain tennis coach, Dave Adams. He couldn't of done it because on Christmas Eve he was diagnosed with throat cancer, "Surprised, kind of shocked. My health has been really good my whole life I've been very fortunate," says Adams.
He went through seven weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. Teaching moments are why he returned, "I didn't want to bail on them this year. Especially, the seniors who already lost a year. If they had to have a new coach that would have been very awkward I think," says Adams. Cheyenne Mountain senior, Emma Delich, "I've had a lot of coaches in my life and I don't think a lot of them have cared as much as he does."
Adams points out it's the girls who have taught him how to deal with adversity, especially one player Rachel Moody who broke a bone her foot on third day of practice, which ended her senior season, "Her spirit and the way she dealt with it was so impressive. There wasn't any poor pitiful me type of thing, teaching an old dog like me," says Adams.
His players have noticed that the old dog doesn't have quite the bark, however he still maintains high standards, "I would say maybe not as intense that means he doesn't yell as much but he definitely has an intense personality. He's very competitive," says Cheyenne Mountain senior, Rachel Moody. Adams adds, "That's only thing that's been kind of weird. I've had to kind of back off a little bit and maybe not be quite as intense as I normally am. and I know the girls are kind of going who is this guy? It could be a new coaching technique? Yeah who knows? I might get used to that more…but I doubt it. I'm anxious for my voice to come back."
One thing Coach Adams doesn't doubt is how much he loves coaching tennis, "It's great to be around these young folks and try to help them get better every day and be the best that they can be as tennis players and as people," says Adams.
