Men's Tennis' Craig Dobson: Where Are They Now?
9/3/2020 7:30:00 AM | General, Men's Tennis
He was a self-described "skinny kid from outside Cincinnati" when he arrived on campus, but he left six years later with a wealth of friendships, a new-found maturity, and two degrees. Craig Dobson returned to campus two months ago, driving five hours (one way) to assist in the drive-thru visitation for his coach, Lynn "Ward" Griffith. It was an act of thoughtfulness that spoke volumes about both of them. Now a behavior health specialist, he sat down this week with LipscombSports.com to speak about his coach, the relationships he counts as blessings, and his life-changing memories as a Bison.
What years did you compete for Lipscomb?
I played Men's Tennis in 2004–05, and I served as student assistant coach in 2006. Lynn Griffith was our coach.
What teammates were most memorable?
I enjoyed so many amazing teammates: Colten Jones, Mike Sherman, David Carrillo, Daniel Carrillo, Andy Mizel, Andrew Harris, Zac Bowman, Ted, Jeff West, Clayton Phillips, and lots of others. Many of these guys I keep in contact with, so unfortunately, they are in contact with me daily on text threads. The lifelong relationships I've been honored to cultivate through tennis have been life-changing, and I'm forever grateful for the friendships that Lipscomb Tennis opened for me.
What degrees have you earned?
I graduated from Lipscomb in 2008 with a B.S. in Psychology, and I added an M.S. in Professional Counseling from Lipscomb in 2010.
Why did you attend Lipscomb?
I grew up outside of Cincinnati, Ohio and the church I grew up in had several people attend Lipscomb while I was in high school.I thought, "Well, Nashville seems cool and not super far away. I should check that out."
I did a college visit and immediately knew this would be a great place to go to college (if they would let me in).Thankfully Lipscomb took my low-bar high school grades, and I became a Bison.
What is your favorite athletic memory at Lipscomb?
I have to shout out to Dr. Lynn 'Ward' Griffith for giving me a shot to have any post high school sports. Ward met my family and me the summer before my freshman year right outside of the SAC, he and said something like, "Well, if you'll work and make our team better, then I'll take you."
The moment Ward took a chance on me, my life changed. A couple months later I was in the training room getting a physical next to another tennis player, who thought I was there to run Cross-Country because I was so skinny.My freshmen/sophomore years were transformational -- getting to practice daily, growing so much in my tennis skills, and making friends with some of the most unbelievable men and women I'd ever met.
What do you remember about Lipscomb campus life during your time here?
Lipscomb campus life is a time in my life I cherish greatly. Getting to live in both High Rise and Sewell Halls, staying up late, being awful at video games (especially 'Halo'), watching 'The Office' weekly, and building relationships with some of the most amazing people – those were very special days.
What is the most valuable lesson you learned in your time at Lipscomb?
In the eternal sense, the most valuable lesson was seeing my Faith evolve so much during my time at Lipscomb. Before I came to campus, like most high schoolers, I hadn't stretched myself outside of my 'comfort zone' too much. But in my years at Lipscomb -- between different ministries, mission trips, prison basketball, conversations, attending different types of churches, and being around Coach Ward's work ethic -- my Faith ultimately matured.
Who were your favorite professors?
I had many very impactful professors. Paul Turner, one of my main psychology professors, immediately comes to mind. In addition to enjoying his classes, I also had several conversations in his office about post-college life and job prospects, and he proved to be a very kind and genuine person.
Another is Frank Scott, who was my mentor through Graduate School. He helped me understand Counseling/Family Therapy. Frank and I often went to lunch at Piccadilly Restaurant and talked about counseling, life, and faith. He was an amazing leader in my life.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Amelia, Ohio, a small suburb outside Cincinnati.
What do you do now?
I'm a Team-Lead for Beech Acres Parenting Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. I work with an amazing team of Behavior Health Specialists in the school setting. It's an amazing place to work, and I feel incredibly proud to work with an incredibly passionate and knowledgeable staff.
Tell us about your family:
I've been married 10 years to my best friend, Erin, and we have two children -- both born in Nashville. Elle is 7 and Denver is 5.They are the greatest family ever!
FAST FINISH
You can reach Craig by email at craigdobby27@gmail.com
What years did you compete for Lipscomb?
I played Men's Tennis in 2004–05, and I served as student assistant coach in 2006. Lynn Griffith was our coach.
What teammates were most memorable?
I enjoyed so many amazing teammates: Colten Jones, Mike Sherman, David Carrillo, Daniel Carrillo, Andy Mizel, Andrew Harris, Zac Bowman, Ted, Jeff West, Clayton Phillips, and lots of others. Many of these guys I keep in contact with, so unfortunately, they are in contact with me daily on text threads. The lifelong relationships I've been honored to cultivate through tennis have been life-changing, and I'm forever grateful for the friendships that Lipscomb Tennis opened for me.
What degrees have you earned?
I graduated from Lipscomb in 2008 with a B.S. in Psychology, and I added an M.S. in Professional Counseling from Lipscomb in 2010.
Why did you attend Lipscomb?
I grew up outside of Cincinnati, Ohio and the church I grew up in had several people attend Lipscomb while I was in high school.I thought, "Well, Nashville seems cool and not super far away. I should check that out."
I did a college visit and immediately knew this would be a great place to go to college (if they would let me in).Thankfully Lipscomb took my low-bar high school grades, and I became a Bison.
What is your favorite athletic memory at Lipscomb?
I have to shout out to Dr. Lynn 'Ward' Griffith for giving me a shot to have any post high school sports. Ward met my family and me the summer before my freshman year right outside of the SAC, he and said something like, "Well, if you'll work and make our team better, then I'll take you."
The moment Ward took a chance on me, my life changed. A couple months later I was in the training room getting a physical next to another tennis player, who thought I was there to run Cross-Country because I was so skinny.My freshmen/sophomore years were transformational -- getting to practice daily, growing so much in my tennis skills, and making friends with some of the most unbelievable men and women I'd ever met.
What do you remember about Lipscomb campus life during your time here?
Lipscomb campus life is a time in my life I cherish greatly. Getting to live in both High Rise and Sewell Halls, staying up late, being awful at video games (especially 'Halo'), watching 'The Office' weekly, and building relationships with some of the most amazing people – those were very special days.
What is the most valuable lesson you learned in your time at Lipscomb?
In the eternal sense, the most valuable lesson was seeing my Faith evolve so much during my time at Lipscomb. Before I came to campus, like most high schoolers, I hadn't stretched myself outside of my 'comfort zone' too much. But in my years at Lipscomb -- between different ministries, mission trips, prison basketball, conversations, attending different types of churches, and being around Coach Ward's work ethic -- my Faith ultimately matured.
Who were your favorite professors?
I had many very impactful professors. Paul Turner, one of my main psychology professors, immediately comes to mind. In addition to enjoying his classes, I also had several conversations in his office about post-college life and job prospects, and he proved to be a very kind and genuine person.
Another is Frank Scott, who was my mentor through Graduate School. He helped me understand Counseling/Family Therapy. Frank and I often went to lunch at Piccadilly Restaurant and talked about counseling, life, and faith. He was an amazing leader in my life.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Amelia, Ohio, a small suburb outside Cincinnati.
What do you do now?
I'm a Team-Lead for Beech Acres Parenting Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. I work with an amazing team of Behavior Health Specialists in the school setting. It's an amazing place to work, and I feel incredibly proud to work with an incredibly passionate and knowledgeable staff.
Tell us about your family:
I've been married 10 years to my best friend, Erin, and we have two children -- both born in Nashville. Elle is 7 and Denver is 5.They are the greatest family ever!
FAST FINISH
- Favorite food: Mellow Mushroom, Graters Ice Cream, Skyline Chili
- Favorite TV show or movie: The Office
- Favorite Bible scripture: Proverbs 27:17 – "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." I like the simplicity of the verse and the truth it speaks.
- Favorite sports team: Bengals, Reds, Buckeyes, Lebron's Current Team (Shout out Carl Tomlinson)
- Pet peeve: Pets (I like other people's pets but I'm too lazy to get one, even though I have promised to get my daughter a cat when she turns 10)
- Person I most admire: My wife, she is a such a funny, kind, strong, faith filled person. I definitely married WAY up.
- Person I'd most like to meet: Phil Mickelson
- Rather ride or drive? Ride
- Salad or dessert: Dessert
- Dream vacation spot: Going to Scotland/Ireland to play some of the founding golf courses.
- Early morning or late night person? Early morning
You can reach Craig by email at craigdobby27@gmail.com
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