Legendary Ragin' Cajuns tennis coach Jerry Simmons will be inducted into the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday at the oldest tennis club in the nation, the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club.
Simmons spent 26 years as a head coach in the state of Louisiana and is the winningest coach in both Louisiana and LSU history.
Simmons was hired in 1971 as the men's tennis head coach at the age of 24 to become the youngest head tennis coach in the nation at the time. In 11 years, Simmons compiled a 214-92 record and turned Louisiana into a national tennis powerhouse.
In 1982, the Ragin' Cajuns had their best season under Simmons going 24-7 in dual match play and reaching a national ranking of No.12. His squad went 5-0 against SEC teams that year.
One of the things Simmons is most famous for was the Cajuns Classic. Started in 1977, Simmons created the first corporate sponsored college tennis tournament in the nation. The Cajun Classic would become the nation's premier college tennis event.
"The Cajun Classic would take us to a completely different level," Simmons said. "The tournament featured 32 of the best college tennis players in the nation in a fall preview of the spring NCAA Championship."
The tournament helped produce 20 professional grand slam winners or finalists, four No. 1 doubles players in the world, two American Olympic gold medalists, and seven NCAA champions.
During his time at the helm of the Cajuns, Simmons was named Southland Conference coach of the year three times 1977,1978 and 1979. He led Louisiana to six consecutive Southland Conference championships from 1977-1982.
In 1982, Simmons took the head job at LSU where he would post a 278-105 record in 15 years.
Simmons also served as the tournament Director of Allstate Sugar Bowl from 1994-1997,
He helped create an International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Super Event while with the Sugar Bowl. The event would rise from the lowest ITF level from a group 5 to a level 1 in just six years, which was unheard of in ITF history.
Simmons saw future pro's Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, Mardy Fish, Guillermo Coria, and David Nalbandian all play in the Sugar Bowl.
Following his time with the Sugar Bowl, Simmons became the founder and Circuit Director of the American ITF Junior circuit from 1999-2006. In 1998, Simmons created an ITF American Circuit to help young American tennis players earn world rankings with the International Tennis Federation.
Prior to his circuit, there were no entry level Group 5 ITF junior events in the United States. The American ITF junior circuit allowed Americans to play for world rankings without the expense of traveling outside the country.
In 2001, he partnered with Lafayette tennis professional Chanda Rubin. Rubin became the title sponsor for the circuit.
"Chanda would help junior players across the nation have opportunities to chase their dreams by funding the circuit." Simmons added.
The circuit would become the Chanda Rubin American ITF junior circuit and would grow from three tournaments to eight with Simmons directing the circuit until 2006.
The events saw a number of future pros including John Isner, Sam Querry, Ryan Harrison, Ryan Sweeting, Donald Young, Maria Sharapova, Ashley Hackleroad and Brian Baker.
Jerry Simmons: Louisiana Tennis Coach 1972-1982
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Re: Simmons included in Hall of Fame reunion
Simmons To Be Inducted Into Louisiana Tennis Hall Of Fame
Simmons always aimed for the sky
