Carnis Poindexter

Carnis Poindexter, 83, is beloved to countless people throughout the Roanoke Valley. For more than four decades, Poindexter, affectionately known as Coach P, poured his heart and soul into hundreds of students, teaching hundreds of students both in the classroom and on the court — the  — the tennis  tennis to, both on the court and in life. For decades, he also taught biology at Patrick Henry High School. 

The myth that a coach must demean a player to unlock their full potential has long been debunked. One of the many reasons why Coach P is so respected amongst his former players is because he coached them all with love rather than fear. At the same time though, he would always emphasize that no one is above accountability.  

When Chris Smith speaks about Poindexter, he does so with great reverence. “I first met Coach when I was in the ninth grade. Since I always liked the game of tennis, my parents suggested that I try out for the team. A lot of what he taught was more about life than just the game of tennis,” Smith, 52, said. 

As the popularity of tennis grew in the 70s and 80s, so did the number of students who wanted to be coached by Poindexter. Being able to positively impact the lives of young people is what Poindexter relished the most as a coach. 

Born on August 27, 1938, in Roanoke to Lillian G. Reece, Poindexter was raised in the Northwest part of Roanoke City and grew up across the Upper-Springwood Park Tennis Courts. As a child, Poindexter attended both Greater Mt. Zion Baptist and First Baptist Sunday School and Church. Poindexter’s roots in tennis are deep. From the moment he was introduced to sports, tennis instantly became his favorite.  

Poindexter spent his early years at Gilmer Elementary and Booker T. Washington Junior High. The year he graduated from Lucy Addison High, 1956, Poindexter met Dr. E.D. Downing who was affiliated with the American Tennis Associations’ (ATA) Junior Development Program founded by Dr. Robert W. Johnson. 

It was Dr. Downing who advocated that Poindexter play and suggested that he might be able to earn a tennis scholarship to college. Known today as the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, when Poindexter entered the college in 1957 on a tennis scholarship, the institution was called Arkansas A.M. & N College. 

“Dr. Downing acknowledged my interest in tennis. He encouraged me to play at 5:30 a.m. with him on the courts across from where I lived. He also inspired me to play tennis by giving me books to read, and study the game,” Poindexter said. “Additionally, he told me that I was good enough to go to college on a tennis scholarship. In September 1957, I became self-taught, considered it my Christian duty to help others as he helped me, so I passed it on.”

Poindexter won the ATA National Inter-Collegiate Singles Championship in 1959. Five years later, as an unseeded player, he won the Roanoke City Championship, the first year the tournament was integrated.

Poindexter’s coaching career began at Burley High in 1964. The next year, he became the tennis coach at Lucy Addison High where he won the VIA State Tennis Championship. Three years later, Poindexter began coaching at Jefferson Senior which led him to Patrick Henry High. In 1994, after helping more than two dozen players earn tennis scholarships and impacting the lives of countless others, he decided to call it a career.  

The day that he graduated from college in 1961, Poindexter married the love of his life, Vera Ruth Cornelius. Together, they had two sons, Carnis Jr. and Clifton. Vera, who worked as an elementary school teacher from 1964 to 1995, passed away on March 19, 1996, after a lengthy illness.

“We trained on the courts in Washington Park in the Black community. Vera came to the park daily where she became a part of the coaching. She also established caring fellowships with the tennis players, while I taught,” Poindexter said. “Samuel ‘Bo’ Terry, Class of 1969, Alumni of Arkansas named me ‘Ole Man’, Vera ‘Ole Lady.’ We were strictly known by those fond titles from that point on, because of our nurturing natures with the players.”

A big part of what made Poindexter a successful coach was the same thing that made him an excellent father, according to Clifton. 

“My dad has always been my role model. Growing up, he taught me how to be a man, not just with his words, but more importantly, his actions,” Clifton said. “Whenever I needed him, he was there. Whenever I had a lapse in judgement, he was there to guide me. There isn’t a father in the world that I would trade mine for.” 

Those who played for Coach P say that he played the role of a father figure too. When Tracy Clark, 56, got accepted into all four historically black colleges that she applied for, one of the first people she contacted was Coach Poindexter. “I remember our conversation like it was yesterday. He told me, ‘Tracy life is a marathon and not a sprint. Always be persistent; but remember to be patient too.’ I have so many memories of Coach that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” Clark said. 

Three years ago, May 2018, the River’s Edge Sports complex tennis facility was officially named the Carnis Poindexter Tennis Courts. In April, Poindexter received the honor of being inducted into the Roanoke Regional Tennis Hall of Fame. The ceremony was attended by many of Poindexter’s former players, friends, well-wishers and city officials. 

Said Kathleen Oddo, the VP of the Roanoke Valley Tennis Association, “Recognizing Mr. Poindexter’s many contributions to our community was inspiring and reminded me of the time-worn quote, ‘what unites us is always greater than that which divides us.’”

She added, “Mr. Poindexter used tennis to create a bridge to higher education for those he coached, and a means to narrow social and racial divides in our community. On behalf of the Roanoke Valley Tennis Association, I thank Mr. Poindexter for his countless contributions, both the visible and invisible ones, and I congratulate him on this well-deserved honor.”

Dwight Holland is the founding chairperson of the Roanoke Regional Tennis Hall of Fame Board. “I was the referee for his particular category of our Roanoke Regional Tennis Hall of Fame admission: playing, coaching, service and leadership. He was an obvious choice among many names submitted,” he said.

He continued, “We have inducted our two most senior male and female members into the hall to date: Mr. Carnis Poindexter, and Mrs. Juanita Stanley at 96 years young. These, and other regional tennis stars, were feted at the Induction and Banquet at the Hidden Valley Country Club in September.” 

When asked to reflect on his career, Poindexter responded, “I was fortunate to work with some of the brightest and hard-working students that an instructor could ask for. I’m regularly reminded by former players what they have learned from me. The truth is, I’ve learned just as much, if not more, from them.”