Courtesy of Sarah Punderson, Philadelphia SID

Philadelphia, PA- Philadelphia University Athletic Director Tom Shirley is proud to announce the hiring of Interim Men's and Women's Tennis Coach Charles "Cha" Goods, effective December 1^st, 2009.

"Our student-athletes enthusiastically endorsed this decision and we are excited for the future," said Shirley.

Goods is the first African-American head tennis coach to be hired at PhilaU.  He first came to PhilaU in the spring of 2008 as a volunteer assistant coach, taking the women to the NCAA Division II East Regional at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.  He was promoted to assistant coach this fall.  Goods will replace long-time head coach Marty Gilbert, who announced his retirement earlier this year. 

Goods is a renowned coach/consultant/mentor with over 25 years of playing and coaching experience in the PA, NJ and DE area. Since 2005 he has worked with numerous highly ranked sectional and national players under the umbrella of Next Stop. Next Level. Tennis.- an elite player development and competition management program which he founded.

From 2005 to 2007, Goods served as the Assistant Director of Tennis at the Cynwyd Club in Bala Cynwyd, PA. Other clubs where he has had significant impact include the Riverside Racket Club in Bala Cynwyd, Arrowhead Racket Club (Medford, NJ) and the Robert P. Levy Tennis Pavilion on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

Goods is also a senior staff member at the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education Center (East Falls, PA).