GW’s Yesnick accepts coaching position at Averett University

George Washington High School teacher and girls’ tennis coach Lester Yesnick was named the new men’s and women’s tennis coach at Averett University.

“We are excited that Lester has agreed to join our staff,” Averett athletics director Sam Ferguson said in a news release. “His background is an impressive one that includes high level playing and instructional experience. Lester also has contacts throughout the country that will be an asset during recruitment. We’re looking forward to the tennis program’s continued success under his direction.”

Yesnick has coached and played all levels of tennis. He has 15 years of experience coaching at the high school level,

including locally, where he has served as the head coach of the girls tennis team at GW for the past two seasons. He has coached players who have achieved national ranking and played NCAA tennis.

Yesnick, a Chicago native, achieved national ranking as a junior player. He later played junior college tennis and played the pro tour for 13 months.

Yesnick takes over the Averett tennis programs from Bobby Shields, who decided to step down following the 2009 season.

The Cougars men’s team is coming off a runner-up finish in the USA South Conference tournament, while the women’s team pulled an upset to reach the semifinals.

“I look forward to building on previous team performances and guiding the teams to higher levels of achievement,” Yesnick said in a release.

Shields, who teaches full-time in the Pittsylvania County school system, said that as the Averett tennis programs grew, it became increasingly difficult to juggle all of his duties. However, Shields said that he wanted to walk away knowing that both programs were in good standing, and he felt that the timing was good to pass the torch to someone else.

“I want to continue to see the programs be successful and grow to even greater heights,” Shields said. “I think we’re in a position to see that happen.”

Shields has been the coach of both teams since 2007, and he also served as the women’s head coach from 1996 to 1999, leading the Cougars to conference titles in 1997 and 1999. He led the men’s team to a USA South Conference regular season championship in 2007.

The conference named Shields the women’s coach of the year in 1999 and he was selected as the men’s coach of the year in 2007.

Shields, a native of Pittsylvania County, was also a successful student-athlete for the Cougars. He was a four-year member of the men’s tennis team under the direction of legendary coach and administrator Vesa Hiltunen. In 1983, Shields was the conference singles champion.

“Not many people get the opportunity to coach back at their alma mater,” Shields said in a separate release earlier this week. “It was a privilege to be back at Averett and coach.”