Jim Barker steps down as Emory & Henry tennis coach

EMORY, Va. - Jim Barker visited an old friend last week. It was a frozen moment to reflect on struggle, triumph and heartbreak. 

"Fred Selfe hired me as the tennis coach at Emory & Henry 15 years ago," Barker said. "Fred was an important person in my life. I just wanted to make peace with him, and thank him for being such a mentor."

Selfe died of cancer in 2003. The E&H football stadium is named in his honor, and a massive memorial rock lies just outside the stadium.

Next Monday, Barker will leave the tree-lined rural campus of E&H for the shimmering beaches of Florida. He recently accepted the position of Chief Operating Officer for Dreamtime Entertainment, a video production company based in Cape Coral, Fla., which produces and develops a variety of original programming.

Barker, 59, has spent the past few days cleaning out his office inside the King Center at E&H. As he removed cherished mementoes from the walls, Barker admitted that his mind was flooded with memories.

"It’s been an emotional period," said Barker, a native of Bluff City, Tenn. "I’m honored to have this new position, but I’m really going to miss the college and my friends."

Barker has long been a guiding force in Southwest Virginia tennis. In addition to his coaching role at E&H, he enjoyed a nearly seven-year run as the director of tennis at the Glenrochie Country Club in Abingdon.

One of Barker’s most successful pupils was Abingdon High School’s Randall Carter, who recently capped his successful prep career by signing to play tennis at Radford University.

"Randall was one of my first students," Barker said. "I started working with Randall at age five, attended most of his matches in high school and tried to recruit him for Emory. Randall sent me a heart-wrenching letter when he decided to attend Radford."

Often relying on players from the Mountain Empire, Barker cultivated a consistent program at E&H. Barker headed the E&H men’s tennis teams for 15 years, and also coached the women’s tennis the past five years.

This past season, the E&H men posted a 15-5 record en route to a fourth-place finish in the talent-rich Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

"That was a nice record to go out on," Barker said. "All the athletic teams at Emory have struggled in the ODAC, but I’m proud of the teams and players I’ve been associated with. Our men finished third in the ODAC once, and I was fortunate to work with some very talented individuals."

For Barker, the relationships and road trips across Virginia have a more lasting impact than the victories.

"I will always remember those days of traveling around on vans with players like Beau Blevins [Abingdon] and Dustin Bays [Gate City]," Barker said. "We bonded and made lifetime friendships."

Barker worked alongside E&H linchpins such as football coach Lou Wacker, women’s basketball coach Joy Scruggs and men’s basketball coach Bob Johnson, who died of cancer last year.

"I’ve been through a lot of changes, and I miss the influence of people like Coach Johnson," Barker said. "I was kind of the last coach remaining from the old group."

Beverly Hatch coached women’s tennis at E&H from 1991-2006. Hatch said she felt comforted when Barker stepped in as her successor.

"Jim is such a well-rounded guy, and our players have really benefited from his knowledge and diversity," Hatch said. "Jim has been good not only to our college, but to our community. We’re going to miss him, that’s for sure."

Hatch serves as the chair of the physical education department and associate athletic director at E&H.

Much like Johnson, Barker has long been regarded as a renaissance man. He had a four-year run on the Glade Spring Town Council, hosted his own music show on the E&H campus radio station, and has been involved in various capacities as a film maker. Barker served as the field coordinator on the documentary based on the life of legendary blues performer Norma Miller. He also recently earned a master’s degree in history.

Barker said his new position will open doors for him to express his creative side and to apply his passion for history. Dreamtime Entertainment, which also has an office in exotic South Beach, Fla., is associated with the Health News Network.

"It’s been a great experience at Emory," Barker said. "I’ll have to admit that I’ve shed a few tears in the process of cleaning out my office and spending time with old friends like Coach Selfe."

 agregory@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports | (276) 645-2544