After 11 years, Boehme steps away from Mac tennis program

Marcus Larson/News-Register file photo## McMinnville head girls tennis coach Angelica Boehme (center) gives mid-match instructions to Ainslie Ridgway (left) and Mariah Arnold during the 2021 regular season. Boehme recently decided to resign her position after 11 years with the program.

After 11 seasons and six conference titles, Angelica Boehme has stepped down as head coach of the McMinnville girls tennis team. Boehme divulged her decision to the Grizzlies’ tennis program in May, but made the announcement official in a Monday statement to the News-Register.

Explaining her resignation, Boehme noted, “It’s been a lot of things. During COVID, it’s become increasingly difficult to manage full-time teaching, coaching and raising two kids. I always want to do what’s best for the program, so I think this is the right decision.

“Ultimately, the largest motivator is to spend more time with my kids,” she added.

The Grizzlies enjoyed remarkable success under Boehme’s direction, concluding with her sixth league title in 2021. Mac sent at least one player to the state tournament in all but one season with her at the helm. Boehme remained a vital source of wisdom to Mac players throughout the past decade, always offering encouragement from the sidelines.

When asked what she’ll miss most about coaching, Boehme immediately responded, “The girls! They’re the best! I don’t know what it is about this program, but we had the best humans play tennis at Mac.”

Some of Boehme’s favorite memories with the program included beating rival Tualatin in 2014, which led to a raucous bus ride home, watching assistant coach Mark Bunker lose a bet to players and subsequently dye his hair blue, and the team’s first practice after a year lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boehme made a serious effort to create an inclusive and encouraging tennis program. She was eager to welcome players of all skill and economic levels. Following the U.S. recession in the late 2000s, however, Boehme noticed a troubling trend in the Mac tennis community.

“Since middle and elementary school sports were cut in 2009, many of them have yet to be reinstated by the district,” said Boehme. “At the high school level, I’ve seen the gap this has created between families who can enroll their kids in youth clubs, and families who don’t have access to those opportunities.

“Now that our economy has caught up, I really hope our school board and new superintendent make strides in bringing back more youth sports and clubs. In the long run, I think this would have a positive impact on both high school academics and athletics,” she added.

Boehme concluded her exit interview with, “Tennis is something all young women should be comfortable being a part of.”