105. Raising Tough Kids and Building Champions with UTK's Tennis Coach, Chris Woodruff (Part 1)

Being Different with Liz Durham · Mar 5, 2026 · 1h 6m

I sat down with my friend Chris Woodruff (“Woody” if you know my husband), Tennessee’s men’s tennis coach, former top U.S. junior, and a guy who went pro, lived out of dark hotel rooms in places you can’t pronounce, and clawed his way up the rankings the hard way.

We talk about what childhood looked like before screens and everything being scheduled out for kids. Chris breaks down why playing one sport too early can backfire, why the youth tournament hamster wheel messes with kids’ heads, and what he thinks actually builds durable confidence.

Then we get into the pro years: starting from zero…