Marty Berryman, Collin College's first and longest-serving tennis coach, will be remembered by his friends and the athletes he coached as someone who cared about people and was driven to greatness in his sport. His death on Nov. 20 saddened many who knew him.
Jamie Nanez, a former player and the current Collin College tennis coach, called Berryman a "larger-than-life person" with contagious energy and a great sense of humor who changed the lives of his students.
"When you are a coach for as long as he was, your impact on the world is far-reaching," Nanez said. "He really is the reason I have gone down the career path I have.
"I know he is watching over us and our program."
Jim Sigona, head coach of Collin's men's basketball program, worked alongside Berryman for three decades. Sigona said Berryman was always positive and full of energy.
"He was a player's coach," Sigona said. "He loved coaching, and he loved his players."
Dr. Albert Tezeno, athletic director for Collin College, concurred with Nanez and Sigona.
"A great coach has the ability to motivate and inspire, and Coach Berryman truly made a difference in his athletes' lives and those of all the coaches he met over the years," Dr. Tezeno said.
Berryman coached for 43 years, joining Collin College in 1988 after coaching multiple state-ranked tennis teams at Plano High School, where he also taught Biology. Berryman brought boundless energy to Collin's fledgling tennis program, coaching the women's team to its first National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Championship in 1991. The Collin College program won the NJCAA national title nine times – five men's and four women's championships – under his direction.
The college's women's team finished in the top three in the nation 12 times. The men's team finished in the top three 15 times. Both men and women finished in the top 10 in the country 27 times in his 30-year career with Collin. The program produced 88 NJCAA All-Americans in that time.
Berryman's fellow coaches recognized his talent with the following coaching awards: Intercollegiate Tennis Association Coach of the Year (1994, 1996, 2006); United States Professional Tennis Association Texas Professional Coach of the Year (1998); NJCAA Division II Coach of the Year (1990-1995, men's and women's coach); NJCAA Division I Men's Coach of the Year (2010); Hall of Fame inductee (2001, men's and women's coach).
As a personal project, Berryman asked his players to work with Special Olympians starting in 2003. The program lasted for 16 years into his final year at the college.
A memorial service is being planned in early January in Plano. Details should be available at this link as they develop.