Tennis is a huge part of Pete Mazzella’s life. Not only has he served as head coach of the Newton County Academy boys and girls tennis teams for nearly two decades, but he is also the Director of Tennis at Northeast Park Tennis Center in Meridian, where he is a tennis pro.
He is now also recognized as one of the sport’s top coaches in Mississippi.
In late November, the United States Tennis Association’s Mississippi division released the list of 2022 award winners for the state. Mazzella was named 2022 USTA Mississippi Coach of the Year.
The longtime tennis coach was given his Coach of the Year award at a banquet held at the River Hills Club in Jackson on Saturday afternoon.
“I was really shocked,” Mazzella said. “The event was unbelievable. You know, I really appreciate USTA going through all they do to show appreciation to these award winners.”
USTA Mississippi receives nominations for yearly awards, which are then voted on by a nomination committee. William Foreman, USTA Mississippi’s Competitive Pathway Director, said Mazzella received multiple strong nominations this year. Foreman did not make the selection as part of the committee, but he offered his opinion when asked.
“That was an easy choice for us to make,” Foreman said. “When you have positive feelings about a person, and you know that they do good work, they get good reviews … you combine that with strong nominations, that’s an easy award choice.”
The committee considers more than just who coached the state’s most successful team. Team record is considered when electing the Coach of the Year, but so is team cohesion and players’ opinions of a coach, according to Foreman.
“What coach is doing a great job and building a great program that is successful, but also respected by the players and the parents in that community?” Foreman said. “I can’t say I was the one making the decision, but I agree with the decision.”
Mazzella has won four state championships as NCA’s coach, but his teams fell short in 2022. Still, both the boys and girls teams finished the season as MAIS Class 3A runner up at the state championships, North State champions and District 2 champions.
Belle Hollinsworth and Lilly Hollinsworth won state as NCA’s top girls doubles team, while Cayden Alexander and Ayden McDill won state as NCA’s line two doubles team.
Mazzella said 2022 was a good year overall in which NCA tennis accomplished a lot of things despite failing to win a state championship. He gave credit for the award to his players and NCA assistant coach David Burt.
“I get them all together and try to teach them as best as I can, but this is all based off of things my players have done,” Mazzella said. “I feel like this is more of a team award than a coach Pete award, but you know, I guess the coaches either get all the glory or all the blame.”