Perri Sundt Touché

The measure of a coach’s success can sometimes be found in how her team performs after she retires.
In the case of former Salpointe Catholic girls tennis coach Perri Sundt Touché, there’s not much of a mystery about her effectiveness.
Touché coached the Lancers to state championships in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Since she retired after the 2011 title, Salpointe has not won a girls state tennis championship.
In the 40 years before Touché was hired to coach Salpointe, the Lancers won just three girls state tennis championships. She goes down in history with Tucson High’s Sue Clark (10 state titles, 1959-1972) and Catalina Foothills’ Kristie Stevens (15 state titles 2001-2020) as one of the three most successful girls tennis coaches in Tucson history.
Touché’s record at Salpointe was a ridiculously successful 315-14.
As a high school tennis player at Sabino, Touché was one of Tucson’s leading girls tennis players of the 1970s. She finished second in the state doubles championships of 1975, made the Junior Davis Cup team of 1975 and also the prestigious Junior Wightman Cup team of ‘75.
Once at Salpointe, Touché didn’t have modest goals. After finishing second in the 2001 state finals, she said “we’re here to stay.’’
She coached Kendra Strohm to four consecutive state championships, 1999 to 2002, unprecedented in state history.
“Perri’s inspiration toward the team has been the best,’’ Strohm said in 2002. “I get my instruction from Gary Engelbrecht, but Perri provides the inspiration that I need.’’
There was a lot of inspiration going around at Salpointe during Touché’s 12 seasons.
Sisters Kate and Maggie McGeorge won the 2006 and 2007 state doubles championships. Maggie then teamed with Christine Mordant to win the 2008 state doubles title, followed a year later by the Lancers team of Courtney Amos and Lauren Amos, sisters who also won the 2010 state doubles title.
Since then, Salpointe hasn’t won a state doubles title.
Touché’s legacy is one that should last forever.