Ford, who has worked at Hope College for 11 years and been a varsity tennis coach the past four, is moving to Midland, Michigan to be an elite juniors coach. The search for a replacement will begin immediately, Hope co-athletic director Melinda Larson said.
“Adam is a great tennis coach and colleague,’ Larson said. “We are grateful to Adam for the care he has given to our students and the commitment to competitive excellence he brought to our athletics program.”
Ford guided the Flying Dutch to four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and three Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles during his women’s tenure. He took over the Flying Dutchmen last season and helped them rise to second place in the MIAA standings.
Ford also has worked at DeWitt Tennis Center since 2005 and was a certified tennis professional. He will be sorely missed, DeWitt Tennis Center manager Jorge Capestany said.
“He was instrumental in raising the varsity tennis programs to another level,” Capestany said. “As his personal coach since he was 14, I am sad to see him leave the Hope community but excited that he will have an opportunity to continue to do great things in the tennis industry.”