David Griffin, a charismatic character, is the head coach of both the men and women’s tennis teams here at City College. Though he has never been a tennis player, he has coached the City College tennis team for the past eight years because he has the knowledge and the drive to organize a successful team.

“They got a bunch of fancy award winners who couldn’t put a team together,” says Griffin.

He offered some suggestions on how to help the team and voila. Growing up, Griffin played football, and played professionally in the NFL for three years with the Seattle Seahawks. His career ended with a neck injury.

Prior to playing pro football, Griffin played baseball in college, and was to be drafted to the major leagues, but turned it down because he was a pitcher, and wanted to save his shoulder.

Despite his own athletic success, Griffin is extremely down to earth. He is modest, he does not have the hint of an ego, and he has a very friendly disposition.

“He has a hard style of coaching because he comes from a football background,” says player Jorgan Carleson, a student who has been playing on the tennis team for two years. “He has good drills. I’ve definitely improved.”

“I like the way he teaches his strategy,” says Anton Sudradjat, a tennis player and student with a major in engineering. “He is between a friend and a coach.”

What makes Griffin’s tennis coaching successful is that he teaches strategy. He teaches his students to evaluate their opponent’s skills and weaknesses. He also teaches game planning. However, the most important thing he teaches is the proper use of equipment. How to maneuver it, how to hold it correctly, and no floppy wrists.

Though Griffin may appear tough on the court, his team members like to make up silly nicknames for each player, but no one has ever heard him swear.

Team member Andy Liang giggles as he tells a story about Griffin. The team was doing drills and one player was not doing them correctly. Griffin called that player a “dorkwad.”

“That’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard come out of his mouth,” says Liang, smiling.
All in all, Coach Griffin is a simple man who coaches and teaches. That is his love, his life, his passion and his dedication.

“I’m not very complex, it’s pretty simple. What you see is what you get.”