On a hot and sunny July afternoon, members of the Culpeper community, former players, family, and friends gathered to pay tribute to a man who shaped generations of student-athletes, Coach Ron Hutchins. The Culpeper County High School (CCHS) tennis courts were officially dedicated in his name on Friday, July 18, 2025, during a heartfelt ceremony filled with admiration, stories, and legacy.
Hutchins worked for Culpeper County Public Schools (CCPS) for more than 40 years, from 1966 to 2009, as a Social Studies teacher at Culpeper Middle School and tennis coach at CCHS. He passed away in November 2023.
Despite the sweltering heat, the event drew a large and enthusiastic crowd, a testament to Coach Hutchins’ profound and lasting impact on CCPS and the greater tennis community.
Dr. Danny Soderholm, Principal of CCHS, opened the program by welcoming attendees and reflecting on Hutchins’ place in school history. “Today, we are adding a name to the CCPS Immortals,” he said. “Hutchins joins a revered group—Binns, Pearson, Averett, Grey, Broman, and Carter—whose contributions have shaped the very fabric of our schools.”
Longtime community leader Gary Deal, who first met Hutchins in 1970, shared early memories of Culpeper’s tennis scene. “Today is an unbelievable day,” Deal said. “I see so many faces I haven’t seen in a while.” He recalled how the community and the high school tennis team once shared the only Culpeper tennis courts at Grandview. “You could tell by watching Ron on the court that he coached with humility and humor.” Deal also commented that he thought Coach Hutchins was ahead of his time, “Now with coaching, bringing joy to a team is very important, and he brought joy to his team,” Deal stated, “All of those years, 17 straight years. You could tell how the players respected him. Ron was a class act both on and off the court. He was special.”
Coach Hutchins’ wife, Elizabeth Hutchins, attended the event, and expressed her gratitude for the honor bestowed upon her late husband. “Thank you for this wonderful tribute to an amazing man,” she said. “To many of you, he was and always will be Coach. He was a humble man, he had a heart of gold. It wasn’t about winning, it was about improvement and doing your best,” she shared. “He was a stickler for proper tennis court etiquette,” she said, to which his former players chuckled. “Thank you for sharing your memories of what he meant to you,” she concluded.
Hutchins’ daughter Rachel also spoke and shared her reflections with her sister alongside her via facetime. “His infectious love for the game of tennis was shared with all who knew him,” she said. “Tennis was a vessel he used to share life lessons of teamwork, self-improvement, discipline, and support for your fellow man.”
The final speaker at the ceremony was John Whitehead, who met Ron Hutchins nearly 50 years ago, first as a student in his classroom and later as a tennis coach. Whitehead reflected on the personal influence Coach Hutchins had on his life and how that relationship still resonates today. “Ron’s impact on my life was profound,” he said. “I still play tennis to this day because of him.” He concluded by offering thanks to those who helped bring the tribute to life, especially those involved in the creation and installation of the new signage at the courts.
The dedication ceremony concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Soderholm and a photo session for attendees to take pictures with the sign, the Hutchins family, and with each other. As attendees lingered at the newly renamed Coach Ron Hutchins Tennis Courts, it was clear that his legacy lives on, not only in the facility that bears his name, but in the values and joy he brought to generations of players, students, and peers.
