By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
York’s new boys tennis coach is no stranger to the sport.
Courtney Bison recently was named the school’s new coach, replacing Shawna Zsinko who coached the program only last year after longtime former coach Tres Heimann shifted to being the girls’ coach only. He used to coach both genders.
Bison, who is an instructional coach at Bryan Middle School in Elmhurst, has 15 years of coaching experience in both varsity and junior-varsity girls high-school tennis. She also has worked in private and public tennis clubs and has coordinated and directed USTA tennis tournaments and actively plays within the USTA community, according to a York news release.
“I saw the opening at York and jumped on it,” Bison told the Independent.
Bison played both high-school and college tennis (at Lake Forest College) and now teaches tennis part-time at Courts Plus in Elmhurst where her husband, Chuck, is a full-time pro there.
Bison started playing the sport when she was 10 and has coached the past 15 years. She previously coached at the high-school level at Round Lake and also coached in the Evanston Park District.
Bison said building relationships will be key in achieving sustained success in the York program. “I want to gain consistency in relationships and build those relationships,” she said. “Team building is important and getting to know each other and working together is as well. We’re going to find a rhythm that works. If we win, yea! The tennis will come after the relationships, but I would not say no to winning. Relationships are so key. You must have the relationships before any big changes can be made.”
Bison added she’s familiar with some of York’s players through her Courts Plus connection.
“My husband coaches a lot of the guys in the off-season,” she said. “We already know them and their parents.”
And Bison is very familiar with the tough schedule York plays year in and year out, particularly when it comes to the West Suburban Conference Silver Division.
“I’m looking forward to the competitiveness,” she said. “I like seeing that in a community. I like a community that has that and enjoys it.”
