John Megas ’11 was announced as the head coach of the boys varsity tennis team just a few days before the start of the season this spring, and in a very short time he has helped the team to its best season since 2009.

With a record of 13 wins and just two losses and an impressive performance at the Southern New England Tennis League Tournament on Saturday, May 13, where three Pelican individuals and one doubles team took home championships, Coach Megas hopes to build off this success as the team heads into tournament play.

“It has been a special season with great team leadership from our upperclassman and captains. I am especially happy for the seniors who have been building towards this year during their tenure on the team,” said the new head coach. 

John is certainly familiar with postseason play in prep school tennis, as he was four-year letter-earner for Loomis Chaffee, a captain in his senior year, a Founders League All-Star, and a 2009 Class A champion. He went undefeated his sophomore season, was named the team MVP of the 2009 season, and capped things off his senior year with a fifth-place finish in the Class A Singles Draw of the 2011 New England Prep School Interscholastic Tennis Tournament.

After Loomis, he went on to play four years at St. Lawrence University, where was a captain in his senior season and received All-Liberty League honors during the 2014–2015 season.

Upon graduation from St. Lawrence with a double major in economics and business, John worked for Heidrick & Struggles in New York City before moving closer to home to pursue a career in dental management. He now manages a periodontal practice in western Massachusetts.

“This whole thing has truly been a full-circle moment for me,” he said. “It has been great to return to a school and a team that I have a lot of pride in. My goal is to give our team the same positive experience I had as a student athlete on the Island.”

With just one match left in the regular season and two tournaments in the final week of May, the tennis team will look to cap off a great season with solid performances in the coming days.