Hrisovulos in action, coaching as his players compete (Photo Contributed Kris Hrisovulos).

Staples boys’ tennis coach Kris Hrisovulos has dedicated 14 years of his life giving back to the Westport community that he was raised in, using his skills and knowledge in tennis to bring home eight state championships and five FCIAC Championships. Therefore, when Hrisovulos was given a recommendation for non-renewal by Staples’ athletic director VJ Sarullo, much of Westport was in disbelief. 

After a hearing run by the Board of Education, and lots of communication with Superintendent Thomas Scarice and Sarullo, Hrisovulos was officially reinstated as the varsity tennis coach on Feb. 5. Afterward, he reflected on his coaching values and frame of mind throughout the experience with Inklings.

When coaching, Hrisovulos is driven by his goal to mentor and support his student athletes. He cares about instilling his teamwork values into his players so they can grow to become young adults who use his advice to be better people on and off the court.

When asked the qualities of a good coach, Hrisovulos answered without hesitation.

“Listening, communicating and really having a good pulse of, you know, a student athlete’s body language,” Hrisovulos said. “Being able to read their actions without even their words.”

His strong belief in these qualities led to utter surprise when he received a recommendation for non-renewal due to alleged improper handling of protocols.

“I was stunned,” Hrisovulos said. “It hits hard because the reason why I took the job [was to] give back to this community and to the program.”

Hrisovulos could have walked away from the Staples coaching chapter in his life, but he instead decided to put effort into reclaiming his position.

“I think it’s just principle,” Hrisovulos said, “because I’m so tied to the community and tied to the program, and [I have] the passion for it.”

During the hearing, with dozens of Westport residents supporting him, Hrisovulos’ lawyers argued that his non-renewal was not valid, as no official notice of non-renewal was provided to him within the required 90 day window after the end of the season. Due to his reinstatement, Hrisovulos will continue to mentor his athletes for another season to come.

“I’m just happy to be back and getting ready for tryouts, and just everything to prepare to build a great team and vie for some championships,” Hrisovulos said. “…[I’m ready] to let these boys go out on top.”