Columbia, S. C.
Inducted 2025
Freddy Goodman has dedicated 50 years to every facet of the game as a player, high school coach, Junior Team Tennis Coordinator, teaching professional, club owner, volunteer, and an official and tournament director. His journey began in the mid-1970’s, and he continues making tennis fun for everyone as a local legend. His major impact on South Carolina is his ability to mentor and keep people involved in tennis.
As a player he has competed in over 375 sanctioned tournaments, winning singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at the 4.0 and 4.5 levels. Freddy began playing USTA Adult League Tennis the year it began and captained a 4.5 men’s team for 10 years. More recently he has captained 55-and-over teams in men’s, mixed and combo.
He began coaching high school tennis at Wilmington Academy in Orangeburg, and in 1999 became the assistant coach at Irmo High School, where he helped lead the team to a 2001 state championship. He became the head coach in 2004, and was one of the first to implement “no cut” teams. His teams won region championships in 2005, 2009 and 2014, and were lower state champions in 2009. He was named the Region Coach of the Year two times, and his record was 224-60, an 80% winning percentage. His players were known for outstanding sportsmanship and character.
Freddy is the longest tendered Junior Team Tennis Coordinator and coach in the state, starting with the Columbia JTL program. His JTT teams have won six state championships and he has taken teams to sectional championships throughout the 9-state USTA Southern Section. His club has hosted numerous JTL and JTT clinics for players and coaches as well as tournaments.
He has taught over 39,000 tennis lessons to players of all ages and levels. He became PTR certified in 1994 and has brought 1,000’s of players into the game. Freddy’s junior program is huge, and the kids love him. His teaching style includes learning the basics of the grip and strokes as well as sportsmanship and etiquette. Many times, he spent weekends taking his players to junior tournaments around the state. Freddy served four years as a volunteer coach at the South Carolina Junior All-Star Camp. He often teaches for free, and allows people to work in his shop so they can afford to play at his club.
He founded Rawls Creek in 1999, and quickly established it as one of the most active clubs in South Carolina. Freddy continues as the owner and director where he works long hours, but always with a smile. He runs numerous USTA programs at the club, including 101, 102 and 103 adult classes, 2.5 play days, JTT, adult leagues, Tennis Apprentice, both sanctioned and social tournaments, and more. The club was named the 2001 USTA South Carolina Facility of the Year. There is always something fun and exciting going on at Rawls Creek, where Freddy says “My heart beats for tennis!”
As a volunteer, he has taught over 1,000 hours of free clinics. He served as chairman of the USTA South Carolina Junior All-Star Camp Committee for four years, and served on the state Sanction & Schedule Committee for several years. Freddy has served as a Tournament Director for more than 50 USTA sanctioned tournaments, and is also a certified USTA official and referee with over 20 years of experience. He has mentored and trained officials, and organized charity tournaments that raised funds for causes like Special Olympics and hurricane relief.
