Elly Leary

Double (Good) Trouble: Catching Up with the Jones’ Twins--Anne Jones Thompson and Lynne Jones Krulich

Meet twins Anne and Lynne.  Like many twins, they do a whole lot together.  There is never a need to worry about finding a hitting (or doubles) partner, someone with whom to go hiking, run a marathon, or talk things over.  The twins grew up in a small West Virginia town, called War, population 3,000. Their family figured out early on that the outdoors was the place for two active and engaged children.  Their father and paternal grandfather were especially important in this regard. Through them they learned to fish, hunt, ride ponies and bicycles, and hike.  But tennis was always something special. 

When their father bought racquets and taught them tennis at age 9, it became the central activity for them.  They competed all through school and set their sights on collegiate tennis.  Of course, it never crossed their minds to play tennis at different schools.  The twins made history by being the first women to receive athletic scholarships at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, where they started in 1977.  According to Lynne, “Title 9 had just passed when we were in junior high.  By the time we got to high school, they had tennis, track and field, and basketball.  It was a time when women’s sports were just coming into the picture, and there weren’t a lot of them yet.  It was just a good time to make some friends, and we were able to do that through athletics.” 

What followed was more than 40 years of every outdoor sport imaginable: triathlons, marathons, adventure races, spartan races, Iron Man (Woman) challenges, camping, and rafting.  “Once we found tennis, we always had somewhere to go and something to do outside.  It led to all other things,” said Anne.  Since then both twins have stayed very active in tennis.  “We both play tennis regularly, and Anne

teaches/coaches on a daily basis. We play year-round in as many USTA leagues (Roanoke, VA) as we can, plus tournaments,” said Lynne.

Anne was the women’s coach at Va Tech and still keeps in touch with the program and her former players.  “I have coached at many different levels, and I think there are many keys to being a good coach.  The main asset, in my opinion, is to be passionate about teaching and helping others to become the best athlete, worker, or individual they can.  I love teaching and coaching because I am able to work with so many different individuals and see them improve in many different ways.  Whether it is coaching tennis or endurance sports, I love to help those I coach reach their goals.  

Lynne is the Director of the Indoor Swimming Facility in Blacksburg, VA.  When asked about coaching advice or tips, she replied:  "As a swimming coach and director as well as a tennis player, my coaching tip  is for swimming, but can be used for tennis, too.  It is to be patient; don’t rush your stroke.  Relax and reach forward letting your weight shift propel you forward.  In tennis, hit the ball out in front of you--again using your weight shift to help you hit a more solid shot."

Lynne and Anne recently completed a 10-day rim-to-rim hiking trip to the Grand Canyon which Lynne planned--sometimes doing 35,000 steps a day.  They were featured in the Va Tech alumni magazine this year during Women’s History Month--you can read that story here. 

Anne summarizes: “Tennis and coaching have made me who I am and have given me practically everything I have experienced or obtained in my life.  I was a confident, competitive athlete from a young age, probably because Lynne and I competed against each other all of the time, but also because tennis, as an individual sport, requires and develops focus, self-control, patience, resiliency, problem-solving, and self-esteem, to name just a few benefits.”

Double trouble is truly good trouble.