Orville Adams will serve his first year as men’s and women’s tennis coach, after serving as interim coach for 2005-2006. Adams was former associate coach and player under the guidance of Coach Attaway, the winningest coach in NAIA tennis history. He later started women’s soccer program and was head coach of that from 2001 to 2005. He brings with him extensive experience, knowledge, and talent to the tennis programs.
Adams previously served as the assistant men and women’s tennis coach at Shorter College from 1994-1997. In June 1997, Adams was hired by the International Tennis Federation as the coordinator of the school initiative tennis program in Trinidad and Tobago. Subsequently, in 1998, he formed the Adams Tennis Academy (ATA) which later merged with the PSA Tennis Academy. As the coordinator of the competitive junior tennis programs, he was able to identify tennis scholarships for several top junior players on the islands to attend colleges and universities in United States.
In addition, Adams served as the captain/coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Davis Cup team in the late 1990s. During his tenure as Davis Cup captain, the Trinidad and Tobago Davis Cup team gained consecutive promotions each year of competition from American Group1V to the American Group 11 level of competition.
As a player, Orville Adams was a letterman at Shorter for four years in intercollegiate tennis, where he earned a double bachelor’s of arts degree in Public Relations and Recreation Public Relations in 1994. During his years there, Adams was named to the NAIA All-American team three years, All-GIAC/NAIA District 25 player four years and earned a national singles ranking of #5.
Internationally, Adams represented Trinidad and Tobago in Davis Cup competition for six years, won seven national championships in T&T, rated as one of the top Caribbean players from 1985-88, participated in satellite tournaments, and competed in the World Police and Fire Games in 1985 in San Jose, California and again 1987 in San Diego, where he won bronze and silver medals.
Furthermore, Adams acquired his master of science in Education degree in 2002 from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama, and at this point in time, in pursuit of a doctoral degree in Sport Management. He is an United States Professional Tennis Association certified professional level 1 coach, United States Professional tennis Registry certified professional, International Tennis Federation certified level 1, and member of the Wilson Advisory Staff.
Tonia Dodd enters her third year as assistant head coach of the women's tennis program at Shorter where she will work primarily with the women's team. Dodd graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Physical Education in 1994. Prior to UTC she attended Snead State CC in Boaz, AL where she received he associates degree. Dodd, at UTC, played in the number two position at both doubles and singles in both her junior and senior year.
While at Snead she played #1 at both doubles and singles and was Region XXII champion at both singles and doubles and participated in the NJCAA National Tennis Championships in 1992 and 1993. At UTC she finished ranked #2 in The Southern Conference in doubles.
From 1995-1997 Dodd attended the University of Alabama on the Paul W. "Bear" Bryant scholarship and was a student assistant at Alabama from 1995-97. While at Alabama Dodd received her Teaching certificate in Education.
Dodd also palyed on the Satellite Pro Tour for two years and is also USTA certified. She has taught tennis in Spartanburg,SC, Cartersville, GA and for the Rome Floyd County Parks and Recreation Authority in Rome, GA.
Dodd attended Cherokee County HS in Centre, AL where she was a standout on the tennis and basketball teams. She lettered in tennis for six years and 4 years in basketball and was an All County selection in tennis for four years and in basketball her senior year. She also played the junior circuit starting in 5th grade and ranked as high as #7 in the state of Alabama at one time.
