Hopewell boys' tennis coach steps down

Hopewell's Craig Smith stepped down as the school's boys' tennis coach, as well as from his dean of students post at the high school, to accept an assistant principal position at Ashbrook High in Gastonia Monday.

His hiring was approved last night by the Gaston County School Board. Smith will start at his new job late July or early August.

Smith, the Lake Norman boys' tennis coach of the year after leading Hopewell to its second consecutive I-Meck title, had been at the helm of the Titan boys' tennis program for the last six seasons. Although he won't be coaching at Ashbrook, he said he hopes to stay involved in high school tennis through camps, private lessons and opportunities through the USTA and the Lake Norman Tennis Association.