Moms coaching sons is a growing trend in 2A boys tennis

And while the three teams are linked by moms coaching sons, each family took a different path to their situation.

At Washougal, football is part of the family tree.

Balholm served as Washougal’s head tennis coach for 12 years until he was succeeded by his daughter, Angela Watts, five years ago.

“When I became coach, I asked my dad to be my assistant,” Angela Watts said.

“She begged me,” Balholm quipped.

This fall, Owyn Watts, a freshman, joined the family on the Washougal tennis team, although it almost didn’t happen.

“He was debating between playing football or tennis,” Angela Watts said. “I’m glad he chose tennis. I think he made the right choice.”

Angela Watts has relished having Owyn on the team and watching him improve as a player.

“I can remember when he was three with his SpongeBob racquet,” Angela Watts said. “And now to see him really embrace a sport I’ve loved all my life is special. After we got home from playing (Friday), we flipped on The Tennis Channel and talked tennis for three hours. My husband and daughter went in the other room.”

In Ridgefield, the Kropp family started out as a baseball family.

Dad, Karl Kropp, started coaching his sons in baseball all the way back in T-ball. Andrea Kropp would work the scorebook.

About six years ago, Andrea, a water polo player in college, took up tennis. She enjoyed it so much she invited her sons to come along.

“Tennis has the whole little sub-culture where you go to one event, and then you get invited to another event, and another,” Andrea Kropp said. “And suddenly, we’re a tennis family. Even my husband has started taking lessons to stay involved.”

One of the people inviting the Kropps to new tennis events was Michelle Rudi.

Tennis has always played a big part of the Rudi family’s life. In addition to being an assistant coach at River, Michelle Rudi is the co-president of the Vancouver Tennis Center Foundation, which works to promote the sport in Clark County.

The promotion took root in Ridgefield. When Derek and Jonah were in eighth grade, their mom approached Ridgefield High School about launching a boys tennis program.

The school was open to the idea, but there was one problem. Someone needed to be the coach.

“We were wondering if anyone would apply (for the job),” Andrea Kropp said. “So we had a family meeting and talked about me being the coach.”

Kropp has been the coach ever since, although it hasn’t always been easy.

“I work hard to keep the coaching separate from the parenting,” she said. “It’s a challenge sometimes, but we make it work.”

For the past three seasons, Kropp has joined Watts in the rare company of women coaching boys teams.

“You hear about dads coaching sons all the time,” Angela Watts said. “But you don’t hear about moms coaching sons. To have three moms coaching in our league, it’s pretty cool.”

Tim Martinez is the assistant sports editor/prep coordinator for The Columbian. He can be reached at (360) 735-4538, tim.martinez@columbian.com or follow his Twitter handle @360TMart.