BRAINERD — For the first time in a decade, there is going to be a new girls’ tennis coach for the Brainerd Warriors.

Lisa Salo, 61, announced her retirement as Brainerd’s girls’ tennis coach,

a position she’s held since 2013

.

The decision to step away from coaching came to Salo last spring.

“I was thinking that maybe this is time for me to look to step aside,” she said. “Mainly, I made the decision just because I wanted more time with my family. I wasn’t exactly sure, but as the summer went on and the season played, I was thinking regardless of how the season played out I would be stepping aside.

“I’ve had an amazing and fulfilling career. I’ve had amazing support from the community, the school district and in particular the families and all the amazing young women that I’ve been able to coach and be inspired by all these years.”

Brainerd activities director Jack Freeman called Salo a model coach.

“I could always count on her to do the right thing,” he said. “No one advocated for her and the kids and her program like Lisa. The passion she had for the sport and the love she had for the kids was evident with every interaction you had with her.”

Salo’s last season was a huge success. The Warriors were Section 8-2A champions and

reached state for the first time since 2011

. Salo also coached Lila Collins as a singles player and Ericah Folden-Claire Erdal as a doubles team to a state individual birth.

This year the Warriors also won their fifth straight Central Lakes Conference title which includes a

40-game winning streak in conference matches

.

“I’ve always wanted to coach a team and have that competitive piece to it,” Salo said. “I coached a competitive program. It’s always been a part of what I wanted our players and program to embrace. We are going to compete to be the best tennis players we can be — to reach and achieve a high potential. Throughout the years, our athletes have bought into that and it’s a credit to my coaching staff. We are very successful.”

Freeman added the passion she showed in coaching bled into the success the girls’ tennis program achieved under her.

“It doesn’t happen by chance,” he said. “She was the right leader and she thought of every detail when it came to the experience she provided for her kids.”

Salo highlighted one of her assistants, Chad Anderson, who coached with Salo for 10 years after she took over the program in 2013.

“He did a great job in teaching skill and technique,” Salo said. “We always wanted to compete and compete well. We wanted to do the little things right and see how much we could achieve. The biggest and most important thing is how these young women developed confidence and self-belief that they can push themselves to a higher level.”

Salo finished her second stint as the Warriors head coach. Her first stint lasted eight years from 1985-92 for a total of 19 years at the helm.

“I had that break from coaching, but I was still involved in all sorts of summer and community programs,” Salo said. “I wanted another opportunity to lead a team and be a part of that environment of head coaching again. I was incredibly grateful that Charlie Campbell hired me in 2013. It was a chance to get back in and continue to build a program to compete at the highest level.”

Salo was enshrined into the

Brainerd Warriors Athletic Hall of the Fame in 2022

. She went into the hall in the same class as boys’ track and field head coach Rod Reuer, who also recently retired.

Salo thanked the support of the Brainerd community.

“I’ve been overwhelmed throughout the years by the support our community provides, especially our tennis community,” she said. “There are so many families that I’ve had multiple siblings and other extended family members. Developing relationships with everyone has been fantastic. I’m incredibly humbled.”

Salo grew up in New York Mills where she fell in love with tennis. She played in college at St. Cloud State University.

When it comes to mentors, Salo cited Bud Schmidt, who was a longtime tennis coach at Brainerd.

“I didn’t grow up here, but Bud knew me when I was in high school,” Salo said. “I was pretty much a self-taught tennis player and was so incredibly passionate about it. He knew me because I would play in tournaments at Brainerd. He was an incredible mentor. I worked at the Lake Huebert Tennis Camp with him. He was instrumental in my knowledge base of tennis.”

Salo worked at Lake Hubert Tennis Camp after high school and it’s there she learned how to teach tennis.

“They were really encouraging and told me to pursue my dreams and to coach,” she said. “My mom was also very instrumental in me doing what I wanted to do. She would drive me all around to tennis tournaments in high school. She wasn’t a tennis person, but always inspired me to pursue my dreams and goals.”

Salo is known for her sayings. Players who played for Salo know her favorites like “pressure is a privilege” a quote from famous tennis player Billie Jean King or her favorite John Wooden quote, “When opportunity arises, it’s too late to prepare.”

“At our final season celebrations our seniors can make a reflection if they want,” Salo said. “Many of them referenced many of my quotes. I tease them that I know I have a lot of them, but I like them and they are powerful. There is meaning behind them and it’s not just on the tennis courts, but it’s in life. I’m glad most of my players understood the meaning of them. I’ve always tried to have our athletes understand that hard work and grit and being able to handle pressure is important to handle situations in sports and life.”

Freeman now has the challenge of replacing the Hall of Famer next fall.

“We’ve had a couple of those openings in my time and it’s difficult,” he said. “You aren’t going to find another Lisa Salo. The next leader is hopefully going to see the template on how to do the job the right way and put their touch on it.”

Salo is excited about spending more time with her grandchildren, who live in the community. Salo’s son, Morgan, graduated from BHS in 2009 and her daughter MiKinzee Salo is a 2012 BHS grad.

“My grandchildren are here and they are two and four,” she said. “I just want time to be with them when I can.”

CONRAD ENGSTROM may be reached at 218-855-5861 or [email protected]. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/the_rad34.