Larry Willens (1938- )

     Larry Willens brings years of coaching and philanthropy to San Diego tennis. A graduate of San Jose State University in 1962, he then entered the Navy, attending medical school at Balboa Naval Hospital. While he became a hospital corpsman, Larry also found time to compete for the Navy in basketball and tennis. In 1965, Willens was hired by San Diego State University to teach in the Health Science Department, a position he held for four years. After three years at the USC Physical Education Department, he returned to SDSU in 1972 where he taught Health and Physical Education until 2000. In 1976, Larry was hired as assistant coach for the San Diego Friars of World Team Tennis and he coached Kerry Reid, Cliff Drysdale and Rod Laver.  During the off-season, he was the personal coach for Reid at a time when she won the Wimbledon doubles. When the WTT was re-established in 1981, Willens became head coach of the Friars, and the team claimed the championship in 1985. Larry also coached the Sacramento Capitals, as well as the women’s and men’s teams at SDSU.  Other world-class players who have been under his tutelage include Robin White, Abigail Spears Milagros Sequera and Stephen Huss. Willens has been an important supporter of the Barnes Tennis Center, serving on its board, being the tournament director of the Billie Jean King WTT tournament each August and donating courts.  Former San Diego Charger Rolf Benirschke and Willens started the Athletic Council for Education foundation which raises money for medical research groups and scholarships at SDSU. Larry is on the Directors Cabinet at the university which helps the tennis facility remain one of the best in the country. Over the course of his career he has been awarded multiple Coach of the Year awards from the USPTA.