From player to coach

For Carlee Petro, there was no anxiety as she walked across the stage in May, receiving her diploma as a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College.

The Mountain Brook native had already figured out the path for her immediate future. And she wouldn’t have to go far to set out on her post-graduation career.

After four years competing on the tennis court as a player at Birmingham-Southern, Petro was named the school’s women’s tennis coach in April. She takes over for Ann Dielen, who coached the Panthers for 41 years before stepping down and transitioning to the school’s director of tennis.

Petro starred from Day 1 at Birmingham-Southern, holding the No. 1 spot on the team in singles and doubles her entire career. She was named the Southern Athletic Association’s Newcomer of the Year following her freshman year and was conference player of the year her final two seasons. 

“Coach Dielen gave me a big leadership position, so I feel like I am used to kind of taking charge a little bit,” Petro said. “I don’t think it’s as weird as people think it will be.”

Petro said Dielen mentioned a few times the possibility of following her as the coach at BSC, but the reality of the situation never set in until she met with Dielen and athletic director Kyndall Waters.

“I met with Kyndall and coach Dielen and they were like, ‘We want this to happen,’” Petro said. “I was nervous and excited, kind of feeling all these emotions at the same time.”

“Carlee will make an excellent women’s tennis coach at BSC,” Dielen said in a release. “Her work ethic and dedication to the sport are phenomenal. She is the most decorated Division III athlete in women’s tennis at BSC and she will bring enthusiasm and love of the sport to the team.”

There’s been no time to sit back and enjoy the moment, as Petro called the last few months a “whirlwind.” She has been on the recruiting trail during the summer, recently moved into a new apartment and has been planning for the Panthers’ first day of practice on Sept. 1.

“[Dielen] has been showing me the ropes on recruiting and giving me contacts, and she’s helping a lot,” Petro said. “I am going to be slowly learning from her as the year goes by.”

While at Mountain Brook, the Spartans won three state championships in Petro’s four years. Her coach, Susan Farlow, said she would be “such a good example” and “really successful” as the new BSC coach.

“It speaks a lot of her integrity and her leadership ability that she was recognized by her coaches and the administration that she could carry on after a legend like Ann Dielen,” Farlow said. 

Petro credits much of her success to Jimmy Weinacker, the director of tennis at Pine Tree Country Club. Weinacker, who is also the men’s tennis coach at BSC, helped Petro rediscover her love of the game while she was in high school attending his clinics. She now serves on his staff at Pine Tree in the summer.

But in the meantime, she has her own program to run.

“I really want to touch these girls and make them good tennis players, but also better people,” Petro said. “That’s what I really care about. I want to build as strong of a team as possible, but really just develop these girls’ skills.”