South Jersey Tennis Coaches' Association Honors Cherry Hill West Girls' Tennis Coach

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Kristin Bradford, who returned to coach tennis at Cherry Hill High School West last year, has been named Coach of the Year by the South Jersey Tennis Coaches' Association.

She had a small team in her first season back, but said the team has grown exponentially – with a number of CH West tennis players trying the sport for the first time.

“Tennis is a difficult sport to recruit players,” she said. “It is hard. It’s a frustrating sport to pick up.”

Bradford said her players are committed to learning and improving, and are great ambassadors for the team.

“It’s a testament to the girls,” said Bradford, who also teaches health and physical education at Cherry Hill West. “They love the game and are willing to work on it.”

This year, the Lions posted a 7-8 record in the competitive Olympic Conference after being winless in 2021, their coach said.

“For them to go against these other teams is quite a challenge,” Bradford said. “The girls rise to it, they don’t give up. They continue to strive to be better.”

Bradford grew up in Washington Township and was a four-time letter winner in high school. She played under Donna Costa, and said Cherry Hill East coach Mary Jewett has also been an inspiration in her career.

Bradford had coached at CH West from 2009-2015; she said she stepped back when she had her first child, and other family commitments to focus on.

In her first year back, Bradford said she began with three players and ended the season with about a dozen.

“I welcome them all and encourage them to give it a shot,” said Bradford. “For the most part, most of them who try out stick with it.”

She credits the team for “talking up tennis” and bringing new Lions into the pride.

“They’re wonderful young ladies, they’re academically inclined young ladies. They have great personalities, and we’re a very positive environment and we try to include all.”

Sophomore Hannah Azar, who is also receiving an award Sunday, said Bradford’s passion for the sport and the enthusiasm of her teammates have helped attract more players to the Lions tennis squad.

“Coach Bradford really helped teach them the game and it became more fun as they learned,” Azar said.

Azar played her freshman year of tennis in a back brace, having been told her spine had a 52 percent curvature, and she needed surgery to correct the scoliosis. She had spinal fusion surgery a few days before Thanksgiving 2021, choosing to wait until the season was over and go through physical therapy while wearing the brace so she could play. Read more about Hannah in this article.

Bradford said Azar was her “number one player” through the pain.

“For her to compete at that level and to be a competitor on the court is just phenomenal,” said Bradford. “She’s a complete tough kid. She loves the game and she wanted to be on the court.”

This year, Azar faces another surgery to remove a lump in her back and take the hardware out of her spine – she’s had problems with staph infections this year, after recovering from that spinal fusion surgery almost a year ago. But she wanted to wait again – this time, for the banquet, where she will be honored with the Courage Award. Bradford nominated her.

“She is very passionate about teaching the team,” Azar said of Bradford. “And she’s also very supportive. Throughout my entire experience with surgery, she’s been in my corner which is nice and just makes it a lot easier.”

Bradford said she is very honored to be named Coach of the Year, and again credited her players' hard work and positivity.

"I'm still in shock," she told Patch on Friday. "There are lots of others who deserve it as well. For us to come from just where we were last year, it's a great accomplishment for our girls."