Two New Tennis Coaches for RHS

There will be new head coaches for the boys and girls tennis teams at Ridgefield High School when the sports begin in the spring season.

The new boys coach is Jonathan Buchman, who works at the Four Seasons Racquet Club in Wilton, and the girls coach is Kristian Larson, director of tennis at the Ridgefield Tennis Club.

"Our students are going to have an opportunity to learn under just two very quality guys," Athletic Director Carl Charles said on Friday.

Charles said he spent most of October seeking candidates to succeed the former coaches, Rob Howard and Angelica Mattschei.

"I really had some very good candidates. With the boys situation, I had three excellent candidates," Charles said.

Buchman said that his goal upon starting the job will be to create a cohesive program that involves all team levels.

"I will be setting the tone, if you will, or the agenda, so that today's JV players are tomorrow's varsity players," Buchman said. He discovered the job through the outgoing coach, Howard, who is his colleague at the racquet club.

Larson, who already knows many of his future players through coaching them at the tennis club, said he is excited and looking forward to the season.

"I know best how they perform, so I can use that in how I get the team to play well together," Larson said. "We can work on their weaknesses and take advantage of their strengths."