Paul Settles, outgoing director of player services of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the governing body of men's professional tennis, has been named the new head coach for men's tennis at CMS, the combined athletic program for Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps colleges. At ATP, Settles' wide range of responsibilities included supervision of the Player Services Department; serving as staff liaison for the ATP Player Council, Player Leadership Committee, and Board of Directors; and serving as founding committee member of the ATP Medical Services Committee.
"Settles' leadership experience on the professional circuit, as a player representative and advocate, brings an understanding and set of experiences that will be helpful to our team and our athletic department," said Mike Sutton, Athletic Director for CMS. The CMS men's tennis program, winners of the 2003 SCIAC Championship title, has 10 returning players who look forward to continuing their growth as student-athletes with Settles at the helm.
Calling the chance to work with the CMS team a dream opportunity, Settles says he's looking forward to the participatory nature of team sports. "At ATP," he says, "I worked with individual elite athletes and coaches, but never had the chance to work with a team of players. I knew if I ever left what I considered the best job in tennis, it would be to work with a group of highly motivated student-athletes. Division III coaching at an institution of CMS' caliber is exactly that."
Settles earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, where he captained the varsity tennis team, and earned a master's degree in criminology from Cambridge University. Still an active player himself in the adult and family divisions, Settles is winner of 10 USTA National Championships including back-to-back titles with his wife Kathy in the husband-wife division. Paul and Kathy have three children, Ryley 6, Christian 4, and J.J., 19 months.