Mariana Hurst Continues Learning After 10 Years of Coaching

March is Women’s History Month and USTA Nebraska is profiling Mariana Hurst. 

Mariana Hurst has been coaching young women at Papillion La Vista High School since 2013, and continues to learn something new each year.

“I would say what I enjoy most is watching a young lady achieve things on and off the court they have worked hard at,” she said. “Getting to know and establishing lifelong relationships with the young ladies that play this sport across the state, is equally my favorite thing about coaching.”

A native of Lincoln, Hurst’s first love was softball as she played at Midland Lutheran College (now Midland University) in Fremont. She started coaching tennis in 2008 as an assistant at Papillion La Vista High School and has been the head coach for the past ten years. Along the way, she has coached her own two daughters, Tessa and Sofia, which came with some challenges.

“But at the end of the day, I have only felt blessed to have had that opportunity,” she said about coaching her daughters. “It's been so special to me and memories I will cherish forever. I am truly the lucky one and thank my daughters as well as all the girls I've coached for allowing me the opportunity to coach them.”

She hopes everyone she has coached has not only learned about the sport of tennis, but also life lessons as well. In addition, she hopes they can continue to play the sport for as long as possible. Professionally, she hopes to continue influencing her players and pushing them to be the best they can be.

“My team and coaching staff have accomplished a State Championship in 2015 and two state runner-up titles in 2014 and 2016,” she said. “Along with team titles there are many young ladies who have walked away with State individual championships and/or medals.  I hope to be able to keep contributing in the tennis community as much as I can.”

In addition to coaching tennis, Hurst has been a physical education instructor at La Vista Middle School for the past 25 years. She enjoys playing tennis and pickleball, and cheering her kids on while they play college sports. Her son Jacoby plays football at Wayne State, her daughter Sofia plays tennis at Doane University, and her oldest daughter Tess is an R.N. She and her husband like to help out at her Greek family restaurant in Lincoln, the Parthenon, and hope to someday be able to visit Greece.