There is not a large percentage of coaching couples in the United States today. If a husband and wife are a coaching couple, they usually work in different places and do not get to see each other much during the day.

Geoff and Dana Young defy this trend, and work together almost every day as the head tennis coaches at DU.

The two work in the building underneath the tennis courts, with their offices right across the lobby from each other. Dana coaches the women’s team and Geoff the men’s, and both work together to form the best tennis teams they can.

They collaborate to make their seasons workable and enjoyable, helping each other with recruiting and scheduling. Their teams even share a van.

Tennis is what brought the two together about six years ago in Maryland.

In the fall of 1998, Dana was the assistant women’s coach at her alma mater, the University of Minnesota, while Geoff held the same title at Alabama.

They both went to a college tournament in Baltimore where the top players from their teams were competing. They met at the tournament.

“Some of the girls on my team were friends with some of the guys on Geoff’s team, and they started a rumor that one of the Alabama coaches said I was cute,” recalled Dana.

The rumor was not exactly accurate, and Dana met the rest of the Alabama coaches before she met Geoff.

“He never really told anyone that, it was just my girls spreading gossip,” she said.

Rumor or not, Geoff finally did approach Dana.

On the final day of the tournament, Dana was on the bleachers watching her players warm up for their matches. Geoff came over and sat down next to her and the two started talking. He later asked her out, and the two had a date in Maryland before they left.

A year later, they were married.

“He had a friendly, calm demeanor about him, and he was a real down to earth kind of guy,” Dana said. “He had these big, beautiful blue eyes, and he was real easy to talk to.”

Geoff’s first impression of Dana?

“She was really tall,” he said.

After coaching at Alabama, Geoff wanted a head coaching job in a big city, so he applied to the University of Denver. He got the job, and coached the women’s team in 1999 and 2000 while Dana worked in pharmaceuticals in Denver.

Geoff became the men’s head coach in December of 2000 after the previous coach resigned, and Dana was offered the women’s head coaching job.

That was more than four years ago, and the two are still at it today. Both played in college, Dana at Minnesota and Geoff at Northwestern. As much as they enjoyed college tennis, they enjoy coaching together just as well.

“Playing in college was one of the best experiences of my life, and I want to give that same experience to my players,” Geoff said.

The two have gone to the U.S. Open several times together, and Dana went last year. They only play together about once a year, but get plenty of practice playing against their players.

Today the couple resides in Highlands Ranch with their two children.