Gene has been with the Times Free Press since July 2008. Prior to that, he spent three years covering sports for the Cleveland Daily Banner. He now covers Tennessee athletics, focusing on football and basketball. Prior to that he spent five years in the same capacity, covering UTC. Gene spent three years playing college basketball, then played a year of semi-professional before starting with the Cleveland Daily Banner in 2005. His passion is basketball, but he loves all sports of all kinds. He does consider himself a fan of the Bulls (NBA), 49ers (NFL) and is attempting a new-found fandom of the Miami Marlins and Florida Panthers. Gene lives in Cleveland and has a 14-year old son, Judah.
In 2018, the Chattanooga Red Wolves were formed as a new USL League One soccer team, with desires to set up shop in the Scenic City. Of course, the Chattanooga Football Club had already resided in town since 2009.
by Gene HenleyLamont Paris is a man who believes in second chances.
by Gene HenleyIt's almost as if Marky Hernandez moved to Chattanooga and had to grow up.
by Gene HenleyIt's probably no surprise that Samantha DeBien would like to eventually pursue a career in coaching.
by Gene HenleyIt's been three years since the United Soccer League announced it would be bringing a team to Chattanooga.
by Gene HenleyQuante Berry could have gone the easy route.
by Gene HenleyWhen he signed with the Chattanooga Football Club in 2020, Richard Dixon was pretty stunned by the amount of people worldwide who knew of the former National Premier Soccer League club.
by Gene HenleyMark Wharton has received a four-year contract extension as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's athletic director.
by Gene HenleyMike Royster will still find himself around University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football games and quite possibly, just around campus generally this fall.
by Gene HenleyEarly in Cristian Zaragoza's soccer career, he made the decision to move from forward to defender. For a teenager, it was quite the move to risk losing the glitz and glamour that comes from scoring goals to helping prevent them.
by Gene HenleyWhen Summer and Juan Hernandez married in April 2020, it seems they were simply following through on what fate had already suggested: They were meant to be together.
by Gene HenleyMoc Valley Prep, a postgraduate school that will open later this year, is intended to provide another opportunity for area basketball players to be recruited. That's Trey Suttles' plan.
by Gene HenleyGretchen Hammel and Luke Winter recently shared their vision of helping grow the women's soccer game in Chattanooga.
by Gene HenleySuzuho Yamasaki scored twice as the Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves won their home opener in their first match at CHI Memorial Stadium.
by Gene HenleyThe Chattanooga Red Wolves failed to pick up a point in the USL League One standings for the first time through five games this season.
by Gene HenleyIt was just last season that the Chattanooga Red Wolves, when facing a second-half deficit or the prospect of a draw, might have folded and accepted the result they had at the time.
by Gene HenleyFor 13 years, Tyrus Ward just worked. Just grinded. He didn't always know what he was working and grinding toward; he just knew he needed to keep on doing it.
by Gene HenleyShortly after a recent intrasquad scrimmage for the Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves, first-year head coach Luke Winter looked around as little girls ran around the field at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Sports Complex.
by Gene HenleyHistorically, there has been a dearth of minority, in particular Black, head coaches and players in successful programs in the Chattanooga area's high school tennis scene.
by Gene HenleyJacob Johnson was practically born with a tennis racket in his crib, but when he was old enough to actually start playing sports, he was more drawn to the baseball diamond than the court.
by Gene Henley