Chattanooga Coaches Making an Impact on Mentees

Coach Sue Bartlett & Sarah Evans Pagnani

Girls Preparatory School Tennis

 

Sue Bartlett fell in love with tennis at age 13 and later moved from England to the U.S. to play for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 1988, she became the varsity tennis coach at Girls Preparatory School (GPS), where she has built a strong program and mentored generations of players. An accomplished player in her own right, Bartlett is a senior national champion and has been inducted into the Tennessee Tennis, Chattanooga Sports, and UTC Athletics Halls of Fame.

As a coach, Bartlett says it brings her great joy getting to know athletes and their life stories, from reconnecting with alumnae over coffee to traveling abroad with current players to attend The Championships at Wimbledon – a cherished tradition Bartlett began three decades ago. “For the last few years, I have had the daughters of alumnae playing on our team. To now see my former student-athletes as parents and remember how they were at the same age has been incredible,” she adds.

Bartlett also takes pride in watching former player Sarah Evans Pagnani grow from a young girl into a tennis professional and now a fellow GPS coach. “I am so happy she has chosen to be in this profession and excited to see her next move!” she shares.

Sarah Evans Pagnani, Class of 2010, played tennis under Bartlett for five years, winning four state team championships as well as an individual championship. Since that time, Pagnani says Bartlett has remained a constant presence in her life, from running summer tennis camps in college to now coaching together at GPS.

“Sue is truly one of a kind,” says Pagnani. “She is exceptional in her ability to develop and coach tennis players at a high level, yet what sets her apart is the genuine care and personal attention she extends to her team and clients as individuals beyond the court.”

“She has always guided me with steady advice and honest feedback. I am thankful for her support that has helped mold me into the coach and the person that I am today,” she finishes.

Three Life Lessons That I Learned from Coach Bartlett:

1. Preparation is key: consistent effort and discipline are what turn potential into performance.
2. Focus on the process over the outcome.
3. Control the controllables. In tennis and in life, there are going to be many factors beyond your control. The key is to manage what is within your control.

Coach Jackie McClain Freelend & Katie Willoughby

Silverdale Baptist Academy Softball

 

Jackie Freelend started playing softball at age 6, sparking a passion that paved the way for a successful collegiate career and her current role as Silverdale Baptist Academy’s softball coach. “I love every aspect of it: the competitiveness, the teamwork, the camaraderie, and the invaluable life lessons it has taught me along the way,” she shares.

Freelend passes these lessons on to her players and reminds them that, “Softball is something that you do, it’s not who you are; you arrive to the field with value, you don’t play for value.” She adds that the most rewarding part of coaching isn’t winning every game but building meaningful relationships with athletes that often last long past graduation.

“When one of them comes to a game, stops by our school, or sends a text or calls, it’s a full circle moment and you realize that your impact as a coach goes far beyond the game. Coaching is not just about the wins and losses, but about the lasting impact you can have on someone’s life,” she finishes.

Katie Willoughby graduated from Silverdale in 2022 after playing softball for four years under Freelend. “My first year at Silverdale was also her first year at the school, so we were both new together,” she shares.

From playing on the team and navigating an injury before a state championship to now preparing to graduate college, Willoughby says Freelend’s support has been steadfast.

“I have always known that if I ever needed anything, I could reach out to Coach Freelend. She has built such deep and meaningful relationships with her players that we trust her completely and know she is only one call away,” says Willoughby.

“Coach Freelend truly loves her athletes. She believes in them, pushes them to be their best, and genuinely cares about who they are as people, not just how they perform.” she continues. “She has such a genuine love for the sport and for the Lord, and I am incredibly grateful for the impact she has had on my life.”

Three Life Lessons That I Learned from Coach Freelend:

1. The idea of mudita, which is finding true joy in the success and happiness of others.
2. Who you are matters more than what you can contribute in a moment.
3. The importance of investing deeply in the people around you. Friendship and trust build stronger athletes.

 

Coach Elaine Mayfield Peigen & Hanna Adams

Ooltewah High School Volleyball

 

Elaine Mayfield Peigen has coached volleyball for 38 years, with the last 34 spent at Ooltewah High School.

“My passion for coaching comes from the lasting impact my previous coaches had on my life. They showed that they cared for me as a person beyond the sport. Their belief in me built my confidence, and their leadership showed me how powerful a coach’s influence can be,” says Peigen.

As a coach, Peigen works to instill resilience, accountability, discipline, teamwork, and integrity along with leadership and communication skills. “The role is not just about developing athletes, but helping shape confident, responsible individuals who contribute positively to their community,” she explains.

Her investment extends beyond the court, from feeding players pregame meals and checking in on their academics to celebrating alumnae at weddings and baby showers and coaching their children at summer camp.

“For a coach, maintaining relationships with players who have graduated and gone on to start careers and families in the community is one of the greatest measures of true success,” says Peigen. “It’s always nice to see their smiling faces in the bleachers.”

Hanna Adams, Class of 2016, says Peigen was instrumental in her next steps after playing volleyball in high school and college.

“When I graduated college and entered education, Elaine was the first one to come alongside me to give advice and urge me in the right direction. That direction led me to become her assistant coach! She has mentored me by showing me qualities that have given her a successful career: drive, confidence, and consistency,” says Adams.

As both a former player and an assistant coach, Adams can attest to Peigen’s passion for the sport.

“Her work ethic and determination are top notch. Not only will she do whatever it takes to have a successful program, but she cares deeply about her players’ success on and off the volleyball court,” she shares. “She has put blood, sweat, and tears into the Ooltewah Volleyball program and I am honored to have been a small part of it!”

Three Life Lessons That I Learned from Coach Peigen

1. Always speak up for yourself and others.
2. Shortcuts never work. Doing things the right way will always be better for you in the long run.
3. What you sow now, you will reap later.

Coach Kelli Howard Smith & Crosby Huckabay

Baylor School Softball

 

Kelli Howard Smith has coached softball for nearly 30 years and served as head coach at Baylor School for the past 24. A Red Raider alumna, Smith played on Baylor’s state championship teams in 1993 and ’94 before playing at the collegiate level and has since been inducted into the Baylor and Greater Chattanooga Sports Halls of Fame.

“My passion for softball and coaching comes from a deep love for the game and an even deeper love for the people it brings together. Softball has always been more than wins and championships for me – it’s about relationships, growth, and the life lessons learned between the lines. Coaching gives me the opportunity to pour into young women the way others once poured into me,” she shares.

Smith coaches with a philosophy rooted in “developing people first and athletes second” and building a culture of both personal and athletic excellence. “At the end of the day, my goal is simple: develop strong, competitive, disciplined young women who pursue excellence in softball and in life,” she describes.

“Over time, I’ve realized championships are moments. Relationships are legacy. The most rewarding part of this job hasn’t just been building a winning program. It’s been building lifelong bonds – walking with these young women through seasons of growth and then getting the honor of watching them step into adulthood, careers, marriage, and motherhood,” says Smith.

“My commitment to my players isn’t a season-long commitment, it’s a lifelong commitment,” she adds. “I always want them to know that I am here for them.”

Crosby Huckabay, a former state champion player, graduated from Baylor School in 2016 after playing on the varsity team from 8th to 12th grade. Today, Huckabay is back on the field, this time as an assistant coach working alongside Smith.

Among the many qualities that Huckabay admires about Smith is her strong moral compass. “She does the right thing, even if it’s the harder option, and makes decisions with the person’s best interest in mind.”

“I get her advice and guidance daily,” adds Huckabay. “We’re very close now, and if there’s anything I need from her, I just need to ask. She teaches me beyond coaching; she’s a true mentor in all aspects of my life.”

Three Life Lessons That I Learned from Coach Smith:

1. Do the right thing.
2. Tell the truth.
3. Find the positives in any situation.

Coach Beth Chappelear & Hannah Alexander

Heritage High School Dance

 

Beth Chappelear has coached dance for 25 years and pioneered the dance program at Heritage High School, the 5Stars, after the school opened in 2008. A dancer herself, Chappelear spent a large part of her life as a ballerina with a local dance company, where she says she “fell in love with the discipline, artistry, and dedication that dance requires.”

As a coach, Chappelear’s goal is to develop not only dancers but confident, disciplined young women “who know how to work hard, persevere, and contribute positively wherever they go.” She shares that one of her greatest joys as a coach is celebrating former dancers as they step into new seasons of life, and she says many have even become dance coaches themselves.

“At a recent competition, nearly every team from Catoosa County had a 5Star alum on its coaching staff. Watching them pour their time, talent, and passion into younger dancers was incredibly moving and brought tears to my eyes. Moments like that affirm that the relationships, lessons, and love for dance we cultivate continue to ripple outward long after their time on the team has ended,” Chappelear says.

“The relationships formed through this program will always mean more to me than any trophy or title. I am incredibly lucky to coach this team and profoundly proud of what we have created together – something that will continue long after the music stops,” she finishes. “Once a 5Star, always a 5Star!”

Hannah Alexander, Class of 2009, joined the 5Stars as a freshman and danced with the team until graduation, but says Chappelear began inspiring her even before then: “She has been my go-to role model since 7th grade.”

Alexander returned to her alma mater to coach alongside Chappelear for six years, and since then, the two have remained close friends.

“I admire her ability to juggle everything so well; she is a mother, a teacher, and a dance coach, among so many other roles. She doesn’t just do them all, she does them all above and beyond what anyone else would do,” says Alexander.

Three Life Lessons That I Learned from Coach Chappelear:

1. Always put God first.
2. To recognize my own worth – not just in dance, but in everything I was becoming in life.
3. Trophies aren’t earned by talent alone; they’re earned by the hours no one sees, the grit, and the willingness to work harder than anyone else.