STATE COLLEGE — If you play serious tennis and you live in Centre County, you’ve crossed paths with Jane Borden. And if you’re serious about tennis and you live in State College, odds are you’ve played for Jane Borden.
That probably came well after you’d already met her, though.
“I have known Coach Jane for many years. Since I was at least 8 or 9 years old,” said Peter Novikov, one of the starters in doubles on Borden’s State College Area High School boys tennis squad this spring. “When I think of Jane, I, of course, think of her on the tennis court, hitting volleys which would beat any of us.”
Although she says it isn’t quite at the level it was when she was playing at Marquette University, Borden still has game, and she can teach and polish the game of others, too.
One of literally hundreds of State College School District student-athletes whom she has mentored, Novikov was on the court at Palmyra on April 5, teaming with William Liu for a doubles win that helped land Borden her 500th career coaching victory.
“She didn’t first tell us about it until after we won,” Novikov said. “Everyone was excited. I have played tennis with her for so long and to be part of the team that got her the 500th win made me excited.”
To reach that milestone, one has to have been coaching for a while, but also coaching at a high level for a while. That means a dedication and love for their craft.
Borden’s been guiding the State College girls program since 1991. In 2011, she added directing the boys team to her list of responsibilities.
“I may be a bit slower around the courts now, but the passion is still the same,” Borden said. “I really enjoy what I do and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in coaching. I’ve tried to work on understanding how the game has changed and how our student-athletes have changed. Life is a lot different now then it was 30 years ago.
“Tennis players have an amazing work ethic and most are driven to succeed. The tennis kids in this community are the epitome of that. I’ve also been blessed to have amazing assistant coaches and support staff at the high school. My family has also been instrumental in helping me to be the best coach I can be.”
One of those assistants has been Jackie Gibbins, who Borden welcomed aboard when she expressed an interest in helping as a volunteer in 2007. Gibbins not only has coached with Borden but helped at Borden’s camps.
“While I knew how to play the sport, I had no clue as to what coaching 30-plus teenage girls would involve. Jane patiently taught me the ropes and gave me the confidence to step into the assistant coach position when I obtained my green card. She also encouraged me to get my USPTA certification, which later opened doors for me when I moved to California,” Gibbins said. “Being a high school coach in any sport isn’t an easy job. There’s the day to day responsibilities of planning practices, making sure the facilities and equipment are in order, your players are eligible to play each match, setting lineups, dealing with personalities, being positive and encouraging, the list goes on. Some of these responsibilities leave a coach in a no-win situation. Often there will be players and parents left angry and upset.
“You have to love what you do and it’s obvious that Jane loves the sport, her players and her job. Her vast experience and knowledge of all things tennis help her make the tough decisions, and her record of 500 wins proves that those decisions are sound.
“She’s done untold good over her long career and I’m sure those she has coached over the years are as grateful as I am for all she’s given.”
The State College tennis community celebrated Borden’s latest achievement when it hosted Lower Dauphin in a boys match on April 10.
Since Palmyra, Borden’s Little Lions have tacked on four more wins to raise her career record to 504-148. Three hundred forty-seven of those victories have been written on the girls side of the ledger.
State College senior Quiana Guo won her second District 6 Class 3A singles title in the fall after being a two-time District 6 Class 3A doubles champion while playing for Borden. Guo keyed the Lady Little Lions to three D6-3A team championships in her scholastic career.
“It’s great that she has had her 500th win,” Guo said. “It’s a great accomplishment.”
Ironically, this all kind of started by accident.
“As a teenager I started to teach tennis, and one day a junior team coach was out sick. I was asked to step in for a few weeks. I loved it,” Borden said. “Initially, I didn’t really have any long-term expectations or goals. I’ve always continued coaching because I really enjoy working with the kids and I love the game of tennis. Once I settled into the role as head coach, my goals were simple: be there for the kids, share my passion for the game, teach the fundamentals of the game, encourage my student-athletes to be the best they can be in the classroom, in the community and on the court and to take my position as a role model very seriously.”
Borden is a native of Glendale, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. At Nicolet High School, Borden played shortstop on the softball team and tried basketball for a year, but her heart always was on the court.
“I traveled to tournaments year-round,” Borden said. “My dad bought me my first racket at 5 years old. Both of my parents took me all over the Midwest for tournaments.”
All that work led Borden to become the top-ranked player in the state and a Wisconsin high school champion and helped her earn a scholarship to Marquette, where she got her teaching degree.
Borden cited her parents as her biggest influences, along with her high school coach, J. Cary Bachman, and her predecessor as State College coach, Mike Shapiro.
She counted among her biggest coaching thrills teams that swept the district singles, doubles and team championships or had finalists in both singles and doubles.
However, it’s not just about the wins and losses for Borden.
“The most satisfaction and pride comes from the teams that really come together as teams, when they care about each other and they work together for a common goal on and off of the court and respect one another,” Borden said. “That’s the best you could ask for. Some of my most successful and most memorable teams have not always had the best record.”
To the end of building teams, she makes her players practice in their uniforms.
“Sometimes it gets to be a bit much, but it builds a sense of family,” Novikov said. “I used to be an annoying, hard-to-control, raging kid who easily got mad and gave up. I don’t at all remember my old, bratty self in part due to Coach Jane.”
Current St. Francis University Coach Eric Hovan found himself matched against Borden many times while he held the reins at Altoona Area High School.
“She has had a profound impact on the State College tennis community,” Hovan said. “Jane has always such a passion for tennis and it is evident how she has passed this on to her teams.”
Of course, it goes beyond that.
“Honesty, integrity, passion, a good work ethic and good sportsmanship are the foundations of my philosophy,” Borden said. “My biggest strengths may be in trying to do what is right and in trying my best to get to know every one of my student-athletes.”
Her colleagues acknowledge a measure of Borden’s success is a testament to being able to build relationships.
Gibbins laughed thinking about the bus trips and practices with Borden.
“Jane would even have fun despite freezing temperatures during our annual Salvation Army bell-ringing sessions,” Gibbins said. “Not only is Jane committed to her sport, her team and her athletes but she manages to balance her family time — including two new grandchildren —working as a sub at State High, organizing the tennis team to volunteer at Special Olympics and working as a tennis instructor. She’s done untold good over her long career and I’m sure those she has coached over the years are as grateful as I am for all she’s given.”
Borden doesn’t have any plans to give it up — “I still take it one day at a time and I don’t take anything for granted,” she said — but she recognized that she has a lot about which to be appreciative, and tennis has given her much.
“I couldn’t do what I do without the support of a lot of people including my family, all the coaches and staff at State High, and all the student-athletes who play tennis,” Borden said. “I am honored to be the coach to so many wonderful people and fortunate to have a community like State College that works together for the kids and for the good of the game.”
