He's a man who admits he lacks patience, yet he's succeeded in two careers that required him to have considerable patience.

He's a coach who never wanted his players to feel pressure to succeed, yet he's always been intensely competitive and will tell you in no uncertain terms that he simply can't stand losing.

After 20-plus years as the women's tennis coach at Bard, and almost 14 as the men's coach, Fred Feldman is retiring. He leaves as the winningest coach in Bard history, and those who know him will not be surprised to hear he's doing it with warmth and a sense of humor.

"I will really miss being with the kids," said Feldman, who is currently caring for his 102-year-old father in Sunrise, Fla. "Being on the court with them, laughing and jumping around. I just love the kids."

It's been quite a journey. He was born in Brooklyn and moved with his family to Poughkeepsie at age 12. He attended Dutchess Community College - Eleanor Roosevelt was the speaker at graduation - and finished his Bachelor's Degree at SUNY New Paltz in 1964.

It was tough to find a job with a Political Science degree, so he became a sixth-grade teacher in the Webutuck, N.Y., schools with 38 students in a self-contained classroom as he pursued his Master's Degree at SUNY New Paltz.. That means he was teaching English, Math, Social Studies and Science to one group of students all day, every day.

"This was a rural community, and some of the kids were going through sixth grade for the second or third time," Feldman said. "Some kids were reading at college level, some couldn't read, so it became about just taking the approach that everyone just needed to progress. It was about the process. I used to pray for patience."

At the same time, the young teacher was raising two children with his wife. He eventually moved to teaching fourth grade in Hyde Park, but his marriage came apart, and he became a real rarity in 1970s America - a single parent.

"I was freaking out," Feldman said. "I went from wearing one or two hats to wearing 20 hats. I was suffering because I still loved my wife and my kids loved their mother, and I was feeling it for everybody. But she just left and I knew she wasn't coming back."

He made it work. His daughter and son were 12 and 9 when he took over. He worked full-time as a teacher and part-time and his family's mattress stores on weeknights, weekends and over the summer. His children are now 44 and 41 respectively; he has two grandchildren.

His children were grown and out of the house by the time he and a girlfriend found a home in Red Hook, N.Y., they were interested in. They moved in and Feldman knew the tennis courts at Bard were close by.

"Wherever I live, I know I need to have tennis courts around, and Bard was right there," Feldman said. "I went over there immediately and inquired, but they didn't need anyone. Three months later I got a call and became the women's coach.

"I remember the first day of practice," Feldman continued, laughing. "I said, 'OK girls, let's gather 'round and get started.' They looked at me and said, 'Don't call us girls.' They were wearing cutoff jeans and black t-shirts, and they were the least-skillful tennis players you ever saw. That first year was tough. I had a hard time adjusting to the culture here."

He retired from Ralph R. Smith Elementary School in 1998 at age 55. He had already been coaching at Bard by then, so he added coaching the men's program to his resume soon after his retirement from teaching.

During Feldman's time at Bard, the athletic program has grown considerably. His first season as the women's coach included five fall matches. That was it. Now Bard is in the Liberty League, which includes contests against several nationally-ranked programs and at least a dozen matches spread over fall and spring seasons.

"It's gone from being like a summer camp to being like a Bolletteiri Camp," Feldman joked.

He will be remembered here for always taking a nurturing approach with the student-athletes at Bard, with no regard to their tennis abilities. He just wanted them to get better and have fun. Feldman is also honest to a fault, which can sometimes create some cringe-worthy conversations, but his players always seemed to enjoy his direct approach.

And the ultimate iconic image of Fred Feldman has to include his dog - Molly - ever-present at every match and every practice, by his side through everything.

"I had a girlfriend who used to stop by the pet store in the Kingston mall years ago, and I told her, 'Don't look at the puppies because you'll end up falling in love with one,' " he recalled. "So one day she brings home a little Westie.

"A couple of years later, we're breaking up," Feldman continued. "I cried a river of tears, begging her not to take the puppy. She ended up selling it to me."

He's had Molly at his side ever since, although he's on his third Molly in more than 25 years. She's with him now as he, at age 70, cares for his father in a retirement community. Feldman plays tennis every day down there as he's done for 16 winters in a row, with no plans to do anything with his Red Hook house at the moment.

It's only fitting that the man who has retired twice now - once from teaching and once from coaching - is not exactly the retiring type.

"I never liked the report cards, and I never liked the meetings, I don't like record-keeping," Feldman said. "I just like kids. Coaching tennis was a lot like teaching elementary education. You just try to take them from where to are and take them forward. And I love them."