Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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ND Sports Ryan Sachire Makes A Smooth Transition To Head Job few years. The 2000 Notre Dame graduate ery little has changed inside the Eck played for Bayliss and said he considTennis Pavilion since Ryan Sachire ers him a second father. Sachire is one became Notre Dame's head coach this of three players in Irish history to make summer. three All-America teams and The former Irish assistant was the ITA's National Senior still wears his mesh shorts of the Year during his final and T-shirt to practice, firing college season. He married balls at the few players who a former Notre Dame cheerhang around for extra work leader and returned to camafterward. Bobby Bayliss, the pus in 2006 as an assistant man who stepped aside after coach. 26 years in the job, still works Sachire had a chance to in the building and checks in take the head job at Oklato offer advice often. Their Sachire, who served as homa four years ago. Bayliss pictures hanging in the hall- an assistant coach from suggested he stay put and way still list Bayliss as a head 2006-13 before being become his mentor's succeselevated to head coach, coach and Sachire as his as- will rely upon senior cap- sor, and he did. From then on, sistant, as they have for the tain and No. 1 singles Bayliss started grooming the past eight years. player Greg Andrews next Notre Dame coach, turnThere is a new energy, (right) in his first season ing more and more of the prothough. One his players say it in charge of the men's gram over to Sachire to make has given the program a new tennis program. it more of a seamless passing photo courtesy notre dame of his long-held torch. jolt this fall. media relations "I think Sach brings a bit "Once the elephant in the more intensity, and the two new assis- room had been spoken about a little bit, tants he brought in dialed up the in- Bobby gave his intentions of a general tensity a bit more," senior captain Greg timeline of when he was going to reAndrews said. "There's a different at- tire," Sachire said. "I knew nothing was mosphere in practice." guaranteed, but I just tried every day to Sachire attributes the boosted enthu- be the best assistant coach for our team siasm to the pair of assistant coaches he and let the chips fall where they may." hired to replace himself this year. His Their succession plan is one that's transition from their job to leading the becoming common in college tennis. program has been a gradual one that Duke, Ohio State, Georgia and UCLA has played out smoothly over the past all passed their coaching batons off in By Dan Murphy V