Staff Writer
CARIBOU – “The basic most fundamental thing you should teach kids is to have fun; they should enjoy playing,” said Caribou tennis coach John Habeeb. With a fun-centered attitude and 25 years’ of coaching experience behind him, Habeeb was awarded the 2008 boys’ tennis Coach of the Year award to cap off an undefeated State Championship season.
Habeeb was a self-taught tennis player, going to the courts as a hobby up until high school. “I did it for fun, and never really had an affinity for it until I started playing competitively in high school.”
While playing for the University of Southern Maine tennis team Habeeb began his coaching career during the summers at the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department where he taught private lessons at $3.50 per hour in 1983. Habeeb began coaching the varsity boys’ tennis team in 1988 and the girls’ in 1991 while continuing his summer recreation tennis programs.
According to Habeeb, the summer program plays a key part in the success of varsity tennis in Caribou. “By the time a kid comes to me as a freshmen they’ve probably been playing since they were six,” explained Habeeb. “They have a lot of experience behind them.”
Habeeb’s direct involvement in the program with Caribou’s young athletes helps build the player-coach relationship early. “You get to know them better and develop a relationship; they believe in you as a coach and you believe in them as a player,” said Habeeb.
The recreation department and private lessons also give Habeeb the chance to teach the tennis basics, for example how to hit a forehand and serve, which allows him to move on to fine-tuning technique and teaching the mental game with the high school athletes. “I teach my kids how to analyze an opponent; how to break them down,” explained Habeeb. “I teach them how to see how they’re winning and losing points.”
Habeeb also works on team tactics with his doubles. “There’s a lot more strategy in doubles; that’s where I do a lot more coaching,” said Habeeb. “My singles players have owned their skills long enough.”
The two doubles teams played a key role in Caribou’s 2008 success, according to Habeeb. The Viking pairs stepped up to the challenge of facing bolder downstate teams. “You’re team is only as strong as your doubles teams because that is where your depth is,” said Habeeb.
Over 25 years’ of coaching, Habeeb has learned to cater his teaching to the tennis player. “There’s more than one way to teach a kid how to hit a forehand,” explained Habeeb. “It’s like food; kids like different kinds of food. I’m more versatile now in how I coach.”
Caribou High School tennis, under the guidance of Habeeb, boasts a boys’ record of 230-56 and a girls’ record of 231-29. The girls won the state championship from 1992-95, and were Eastern Maine champions in 1997, 1998, 2004 and 2005. After reaching the Eastern Maine finals six times, the Viking boys finally took home the 2008 Eastern Maine and State Championship title.
Habeeb’s past athletes have also moved on to coaching tennis in various areas of the state including Anne Bernard at Bonney Eagle, Doug Dorman at Fort Kent, Wayne Martin at Windham, Kevin Malenfant in Presque Isle and Jason Pangburn at both Cony and Bangor.
Habeeb has no plans to give up the reigns of the recreation tennis program, which has proven so fruitful for CHS athletics.
“I’ve never had a summer off since I was 18; I don’t know what I’d do. I like doing what I do there; it’s fun.”
