Head Coach
Assistant Coach
About Our Head Coach
Coach Thirkell has been with the Discovery Canyon Girls Tennis Team since 2010. This is his 12th season as Head Coach of the Girls Thunder Tennis Team. Coach Thirkell was the 2017 PPAC Girls Tennis Coach of the Year. He played NCAA tennis for Colorado College, rising through the ranks to be their number 1 tennis player. He has worked for both Air Force Tennis and Nike Tennis as a tennis instructor. Coach Thirkell is no stranger to Colorado High School tennis with his own experience playing singles and doubles at Lewis-Palmer High School helping his team win Regional Championships and qualifying for State. He believes that tennis is a lifelong game and he works to build student athletes’ love of the game. Coach Thirkell teaches Mathematics at Discovery Canyon Middle School where he also coaches the Intramural Tennis program.
History and Philosophy
Since 2010 the DCC Girls Tennis program has grown from 17 players to 50 players. Varsity and JV have continued to improve and assert their dominance in the Pikes Peak Region. The Girls Thunder Tennis team has had over 50 match wins since 2012. The team has won tournaments at both Littleton and Liberty. The Girls Tennis Team consistently finishes in the top 3 at Regionals and has brought home back-to-back Regional Championships. The Thunder have finished as high as 3rd place at the State Tournament. The Girls Tennis Team has had several individuals achieve top 3 finishes at State including a State Champion at 2 Singles. DCC Tennis supports a one-team philosophy, that every position has its merit. All student-athletes have the abilities and opportunities to build skills that enable them to find success on and off the court. Girls Tennis season is from February through May. Varsity consists of 3 singles players and 4 doubles teams. The remaining players are playing doubles on the JV team.
“A good team around you with spirit, motivation, and belief is the key to achieving big things." Sabine Lisicki, Pro Tennis Player
