Isabel Hetherington
Reporter
After coaching at NCHS for 21 years, Gail Overbeck recently gave news of her retirement from the position of head coach for the girls’ varsity tennis team. Ms. Overbeck originally started coaching at the high school in 1991.
“Vin Iovino [former A.D.]contacted me telling me that they needed a cheerleading coach, and since I had been a cheerleader at New Canaan, that’s when I got started coaching there,” Ms. Overbeck said.
Ms. Overbeck took a hold of the tennis program and paved the way for future wins. With Ms. Overbeck leading the way, the girls’ tennis team has won 11 state crowns in 12 years, with a current streak of 8 years. But more important than the wins, Ms. Overbeck said, are the players.
“Winning and being number one is great, but the thing that I think is important is developing the kids, helping them reach their full potential, and giving them self-confidence from their success,” Ms. Overbeck said. She described how her fondest memories were of the players on the team. “I felt proud when the kids would come back to see me,” she said. “I love it when they come back and we connect again.”
One key to Ms. Overbeck’s success was her ability to manage the team. “She was able to take talented players and figure out the best combinations of players to make in order to make them successful,” Athletic Director Jay Egan said.
Senior Tennis captain Phoebe Wilks added that Overbeck’s ability to prepare the team helped in many of their matches. “She was extremely competitive as a coach. Weeks before a match she would have newspaper clippings of the previews of other teams, specifically Greenwich, our rival,” Phoebe said. “She would begin asking us if we had heard anything about the new girls on the team, if we recognized the names from last year, and how their playing styles would be. She always prepped us for the opponents, a preparedness that definitely helped our team in some of the close matches.”
Junior player Sara Greene agreed. “She was able to find out what our opponents weaknesses and strengths were, so we could prepare for them and pull out a win,” she said.
The ultimate decision to retire was influenced by the lengthy duration of Ms. Overbeck’s tenure. “21 years is a pretty long time, and though I keep second guessing myself, I know it’s time,” she said. “I have 8 grandkids who are starting sports and I wanted to leave the program when it was strong, so that whoever comes next has a good chance,” she said.
“She was thinking about the next coach’s success and the program moving forward, and wanted to leave a point where she could give the new coach the opportunity to coach a strong team,” Mr. Egan said.
According to Phoebe, there is no doubt that the long-time coach of 21 years will be missed.“We will definitely miss her attitude and presence on the courts,” Phoebe said. “There was no mistaking her big fluffy parka and red and black striped clipboard out there huddled, taking notes from day one.”
After such a victorious term coaching, new coach and former JV Tennis and current Varsity Field hockey coach Erin Gildea will have large shoes to fill. “Coming after Overbeck and the victories that she’s brought the girl’s program is going to be a challenge,” Sara said.
