We are so pleased to share this article from the November 6, 2012 Port Huron Times Herald, announcing that Mary Kay Baribeau will be inducted into the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame in February 2013! Congratulations, Mary Kay!
It should come as no surprise that a former tennis coach who won three state titles would be honored in some way.
On Feb. 8 next year, Mary Kay Baribeau will get just that, as she is inducted into the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame. The dinner and ceremony will take place at the Troy Marriott.
“I found out a couple weeks ago,” Baribeau said. “It started last year with a petition, then the board had to vote.
“I got a letter in the winter
, and I was just really humbled by it. It’s a wonderful honor.”
The petition to get Baribeau inducted was initiated by Dave Fredette, a longtime tennis coach at Armada.
The former girls tennis coach at Port Huron Northern, Baribeau guided the Huskies to three state titles in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
“We just took it one year at a time,” Baribeau said of her teams. “The girls that played for me were terrific.”
Those same former players have sent well-wishes Baribeau’s way after learning of her honor.
“I have run into a few of them,” she said. “Several of them wrote letters. They were very touching, reminiscing on the memories and how much the experience meant for them.”
She added that her former players were “very excited” for her.
Since she retired from coaching the Huskies in 2006, she keeps busy in the game still.
“I still go to a lot of the tennis matches,” she said. Baribeau also continues to play the sport.
“It’s fabulous,” she said. “I think tennis is one of the best sports in the world. I would encourage everyone and anyone to play.”
She said that the Port Huron area is tops in her mind.
“I don’t think you can get a better area than ours,” she said. “The tennis world is so supportive here, from the teaching to the parents to the facilities. It’s just a great experience for the area.”
Even though it’s been six years since she stepped down from the helm at Port Huron Northern, Baribeau’s memories are all fond ones.
“Oh I miss it terribly,” she said. “But my health was involved. I really had to step down.
“If I couldn’t give the kids 100 percent, I wouldn’t do it.”