Women's Tennis
- Title:
- Volunteer Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- 205-348-3600
Keith Swindoll begins his third stint as the volunteer assistant on Jenny Mainz' women's tennis coaching staff in 2017. A familiar face around The Capstone, Swindoll also served as Mainz' volunteer assistant for six seasons from 1999-05, the longest tenure for a volunteer coach in the SEC at the time.
Swindoll began his coaching career as a student assistant for the men's team in 1981. Since then he has claimed numerous awards and honors as Tuscaloosa's local tennis guru. After graduating from UA in 1985 with a degree in sports marketing, Swindoll received his first shot at being a head coach at Tuscaloosa Academy in 1987. There, he spent twelve seasons as head coach of both the girl's and boy's tennis programs, and won at least one state championship in each of those twelve years. He has twice been named Alabama High School Coach of the Year, 1994 and 1998, and is four-time Alabama Pro of the Year, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 2000.
"Keith has unselfishly given an insurmountable amount of his time and energy," said head coach Jenny Mainz. "He contributes a wealth of experience and knowledge to this program. Keith has a special way of getting the most out of the team. He always seems to say the right thing."
Swindoll's playing career is highlighted by his countless awards and accolades collected over his tenure. He is a former No. 1 player in the men's 30-and-over division in Alabama, and a six-time Alabama Tennis Professional of the Year. Swindoll is a United States Professional Tennis Association Master Professional, an honor that fewer than 1 percent of tennis professionals worldwide achieve. Inducted into the Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame in Feb. 2013, Swindoll was recently named the Alan Henry USPTA Southern Professional of the Year.
Swindoll has been the Director of Tennis at the Indian Hills Country Club since 1987. Under his leadership, the country club has been named United States Tennis Association Tennis Facility of the Year in 1989 and 2000.
Aside from tennis, Swindoll has developed a passion for charitable work. In 1990, he set a then southern record by playing tennis for 72 hours to raise money for local charities. He hosts "Keith's Classic" which has raised money for local charities for the past 10 years. In 2011, he held the tournament a week after a devastating tornado ripped thru Tuscaloosa, raising over $6,000 for the Tornado Disaster Relief Fund. Swindoll raised over $8,000 in 2012 for American Cancer Society in honor of Hubert Kessler, a tennis activist who was battling melanoma. In 2013, he raised over $11,000 for Children's Hospital in memory of Will May a junior who passed in a tragic accident.
