They may be brand new coaches at Live Oak High, but they
’re not entirely uninitiated. New boys volleyball coach Keith
Tungate and first-year boys tennis coach Chris Yoder have their
share of coaching experience coming in. Tungate, a 21-year-old
Hollister-San Benito graduate who takes over for James Uthes,
served as an assistant girls coach at his alma
mater last season. With the Haybalers, Tungate enjoyed an
outstanding high school career that culminated with a co-MVP award
after his senior year in 2001. Yoder runs a private tennis academy
locally with his wife – Gilroy girls tennis coach Jennifer Watson,
and is planning to use his knowledge of
local junior players to help boost the LO program.
They may be brand new coaches at Live Oak High, but they’re not entirely uninitiated.
New boys volleyball coach Keith Tungate and first-year boys tennis coach Chris Yoder have their share of coaching experience coming in.
Tungate, a 21-year-old Hollister-San Benito graduate who takes over for James Uthes, served as an assistant girls coach at his alma mater last season. With the Haybalers, Tungate enjoyed an outstanding high school career that culminated with a co-MVP award after his senior year in 2001.
Yoder runs a private tennis academy locally with his wife – Gilroy girls tennis coach Jennifer Watson, and is planning to use his knowledge of local junior players to help boost the LO program.
Both have solid cores of returning players to help make the transition easier, although the defending league champion boys volleyball program has a vastly more successful recent history than boys tennis does.
Tungate’s bunch will be led by returning all-TCAL first-teamer Royce Newcomb, a senior opposite, along with returners Matt Medeiros and Joel Siebert. New players expected to contribute include junior setter Justin Venneman, and outsides Kent Wu, Josh Smith and Derek Kirmil.
Meanwhile, Yoder’s squad will be led by a strong contingent of returning singles players, including brothers Nick and Eric Matsumoto. Nick, a senior, will play No. 1 singles, while Eric, a sophomore, will play at No. 2. Seniors Casey McElroy and Jacob Haim round out the singles.
Juniors Jake Plasker and Danny Smith will play No. 1 doubles.
