Sports
New Apple Valley High School Tennis Coach A Winning Fit
Bruce Gullikson brings experience to his new role as the boys' head tennis coach at Apple Valley High School.
It’s been more than three decades since Bruce Gullikson coached a high school tennis team.
But luckily for the boys tennis team, the tennis professional hasn’t missed a step.
Gullikson has led the Eagles to a 8-2 overall record and 4-0 South Suburban Conference record thus far. While he's found success during his first month as the head boys’ tennis coach, it's a path he hadn't envisioned for himself.
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Gullikson had tried his hand at coaching high school straight out of college, leading the junior varsity team at St. Paul Academy before finding his position at the then-Northwest Athletic Club.
“I thought that maybe if the right college opportunity came along, I could see myself coaching a team,” he said. “[Coaching at Apple Valley] was just an opportunity that presented itself.”
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Gullikson, who is the head tennis professional at the Bloomington South Lifetime Fitness, joined the Eagles after former head coach Susan Furtney resigned in February.
It was Furtney’s idea for him to take over the team.
“When she resigned to pursue her professional career, she was the first person I talked to,” Apple Valley High School athletic director Pete Buesgens said. “Bruce was one of the names that she mentioned could fit in here.”
While Buesgens was impressed by Gullikson’s tennis pedigree, he wanted to make sure the veteran could make the transition back to leading a team of adolescents.
It was a question that he answered easily. Several of the team members train with Gullikson in the off-season.
“So far it’s been a very positive experience,” Gullikson said. “They haven’t run me out of town on a rail or anything.”
One quality that has helped Gullikson take control of his new team is his military background. The Gustavus Adolphus College graduate was a member of the United States Army Reserve.
“From the knowledge base, it’s tremendous,” Buesgens said. “But he also brings a little bit of that discipline and teamwork into it.”
And while there is still a lot of season left, the athletic director isn’t the only one optimistic about the new coach’s placement.
“I talked to our booster club parents who are my link to the program and they are extremely pleased with how things are going,” Buesgens said.
