Destin High School has named Chris Barbe as its head tennis coach, adding a veteran tennis professional with more than four decades of instruction and program leadership experience to the Sharks’ athletic program.

• Barbe has taught players of all ages and skill levels for more than 40 years and held state, sectional and national rankings during his playing career. His background includes leadership roles at several prominent tennis facilities, including the New Orleans City Park Tennis Center, Audubon Park Tennis Courts and the New Orleans Recreation Department Commission.

“Coach Barbe is exactly the right fit for Destin High School and for the future of our tennis program,” said Dr. Willy Williams, Executive Director of Destin High School. “His depth of experience and knowledge of the game are exceptional, but what impressed us most is his commitment to developing young people.”

Williams said a strong high school program goes beyond the scoreboard.

“He understands that a successful high school program is about more than wins and losses,” Williams said. “It is about building character, creating a strong team culture, developing players at every level, and giving students an experience they will carry with them long after they leave the court.”

Barbe served as director of tennis at the New Orleans City Park Tennis Center, where he oversaw a 31-court facility. He also served as head professional and manager at Audubon Park Tennis Courts for approximately 15 years. Most recently, he was district manager and tennis director for the New Orleans Recreation Department Commission, overseeing two public tennis facilities with a combined 19 clay courts.

His responsibilities ranged from programming and tournaments to staffing, budgeting, maintenance and facility operations.

Barbe also brings a previous connection to the Destin area. From 1984 to 1986, he served as head tennis professional at Seascape Golf and Tennis Resort, where he taught private and group lessons and helped oversee tennis operations.

His professional honors include being named the 1994 USPTA Louisiana “Pro of the Year.” Under his direction, the New Orleans City Park Tennis Center was recognized by Tennis Magazine as one of the nation’s top municipal tennis facilities and later received national recognition as a USTA “Public Facility of the Year.”

Barbe also served as tournament director for the 1993 U.S.F. & G. Sugar Bowl Tennis Classic and is currently a certified USTA coaching professional.

At Destin High School, Barbe will focus on building a program that develops players across skill levels while establishing a culture centered on hard work, accountability, sportsmanship and team pride.

“We want our student-athletes to know that when they become part of Destin High School tennis, they are joining a program that will challenge them, support them, and help them grow,” Williams said. “Coach Barbe has spent a lifetime teaching this sport, and we are excited for our students to benefit from that experience and leadership.”