She guided the Chargers’ 1978 and 1980 squads to the CIF-4A finals and the 1979 and 1981-83 teams to the semi-finals. In 1976 Sanford’s doubles team of Mary Rose Dell and B.J. Hinchman won the CTF-4A Girls’ Doubles Championship, the first-ever for the Channel League and for Dos Pueblos. Sanford also coached CIF-4A singles finalist Kathy Vigna in 1982.
Sanford left coaching in 1985 but continued to teach physical education until her retirenlent from the Santa Barbara School Dbtrict in 1993. However, she was lured out of retirement in 1995 to coach the Santa Barbara City College women’s tennis team and guided the Vaqueros to a 1996 Western State Conference Chatnpionship with an 11-0 conference record and a 12-1 record overall. The Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table honored Sanford in 1996 with the College Coach of the year award.
Sanford is most proud of winning the 1976 National Chmnpionship Equitable Family Tennis Challenge with her son, John, at the U.S. Open Tenni~ Center at Forest Hills, N.Y. She was also a National Champion finalist at the same tournament in 1983 with her daughter, Julie.
Sanford and her husband Jack, former SBCC men’s tennis coach, have six children – three sons and three daughters. Sanford relishes the memories of coaching her daughters on the same 1981 Dos Pueblos girls’ tennis team as well as watching all three sons on the Chargers’ men’s squad. All six of her children have played collegiate tennis.
Since retirement, Cathy and Jack Sanford have moved to Carpinteria where she now helps her 16 grandchildren with their tennis. Sanford enjoys taking classes through adult education and belongs to the Goleta and Los Padres Art Association. Sanford recognizes her husband and her mother, Mae Farrell, as the biggest influences on her life and career.
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