At the end of this year, tennis coach Michael Hjort will walk away from the court. Hjort, who also teaches US History, wanted to spend more time with his own children.

“After 16 years of coaching I have decided to leave the coaching profession because I would like to watch my own kids from outside the lines,” Hjort said. “I would like to dedicate the next three years to being a fan of my kids along with supporting Rouse athletics.”

Stepping down from coaching will also allow Hjort to become an AP consultant for US History, helping other AP teachers teach their classes to the fullest. Toward the end of the season when there was only a few matches left, he told the team he was leaving.

“I’m kind of sad about it,” sophomore Janessa Spencer said. “He’s been my coach for two years now, so I have a bond with him. It’ll be different.”

Hjort has been the tennis coach since the school opened in 2008.

“This was a very difficult decision because I have a great team with a lot of potential these next couple of years, but I have a very small window of time left with my own children to experience their academics and athletics as their father and I think the time was right,” Hjort said. “I would hate to leave a team when they are in a rebuilding year and whoever is chosen as the coach to succeed me will have a lot of great players and a lot of potential in the future.”