Paul Biddle, the Amherst Central School District varsity girls tennis coach, has been selected as the 2020-21 New York and Northeast Section Girls Tennis Coach of the Year by the Coaches Association of The National Federation of State High School Associations. By earning both the state and regional northeast Girls Tennis Coach of the Year designations, he became a finalist for a national award.

Biddle, an Amherst Middle School music teacher, was specifically nominated for both awards by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as the most deserving recipient of this honor. This year's honorees were selected based upon their coaching performance in the 2020-21 school year, lifetime community involvement, school involvement and philosophy of coaching.

The Amherst girls varsity 2020-2021 record was 8-2, earning second place in Division 2. Five players qualified for the ECIC tournament and two qualified for the Section 6 tournament. The team was named a NYSPHSAA scholar-athlete team and there were several seniors named as scholar-athlete award winners.

Biddle has coached tennis at Amherst Middle School and Amherst Central High School since he started teaching in 2003. He coached boys and girls modified tennis for nine years before moving to the varsity level. He also coached the modified co-ed swim team for 12 years.

“I love coaching and seeing the students in a non-academic light. It keeps me in shape, keeps me playing and more importantly gives me a chance to pass on the knowledge and love of tennis with my players,” he said. “Music and tennis are two things you can do for life which is in part why I am passionate about them both.”

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In the summer of 2012, he joined Miller Tennis center to play on a more regular basis, take tennis drill classes, lessons and playing in multiple leagues year-round. This extra playing and learning has helped him with coaching by using different drills and teaching techniques at practice. He also began a community education summer tennis program for students entering grades 6-12.

Since 2016, Biddle has been the ECIC Chairman for the girl's varsity tennis season. In that role, Biddle leads meetings for ECIC coaches, selects all-star candidates, manages the ECIC tournament, and seeds the Sectional tournament.

“Tennis and teaching are both passions for me and a good day is when one kid has a smile or walks away feeling good about what they have accomplished,” he said.