UAA recap

I have been at Emory for over 13 years now, and in that time, I have seen the UAA grow to be a force in Division III tennis.When I first got to Emory, the UAA was very weak. Wash U, was good, but not even close to the level they are at now. UAA championships, back then, were not considered very special. In the past 6 years, a bunch of new, young, and aggressive coaches, have actively recruited, and made our conference one of the best. 13 years ago, would you ever imagine that Case Western would be a strong program? Well, they are now, and are on the brink of becoming a top 10 national team.

Our destination was Orlando, Florida, for the first time, the UAA, would be played, on a neutral site, with  

the promise of great weather. This was a great move by the UAA home office and ensured us to be in 80 degree weather. I was excited for the trip and felt like our team was ready to go.

Brad Jaffe, aka:slideroo, and member of the NCAA 2003 championship team, drove up 3 hours to come watch our team play. Brad was one of the better competitors I have ever had the pleasure of coaching. Brad was not the greatest practice player, but shined when the lights came on. Brad loved to compete, and to this day, he still loves the game, and would play for me today, if he still had some eligibility.Recently, Brad and his wife, had their first child, a baby girl, beautiful Isabella Grey Jaffe. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!

The biggest concern going into this tournament was our health. Goody was still suffering from muscle strain, and for the first time, Potts was ailing. Potts did something to his knee against ABAC, and had been uncomfortable for the week of practice leading up to the tournament. We have the best training staff in the country, and, they worked on his knee the entire week. He was definitely  not a 100%, but he Pott's is a warrior, and this was not going to stop him from competing.

Day #1 Rochester

Our first match was against Rochester, especially in doubles. Our main goal was not to be sloppy and stay sharp. The best news of the day was Potts was feeling better about his knee.

Day #2 Case Western

In the past, Day 2 would have been easy, but as I stated before, we can no longer take these teams lightly. Case Western, coach by young, Todd Wojekowski, has done an amazing job turning this program around. Match time was scheduled for 9am, we arrived at 8am for warmup, these guys already had a full lather going. I could tell they were going to come after us. 

Case came out firing in doubles. We got down early breaks at 2 and 3, but were thankfully, playing well, at 1. Case's best spot was at 2 doubles, and they ended up taking the point. At 3, Potts and Kowalski, battled back from breaks to secure us a 2-1 lead going into singles. Singles was pretty much straight forward. We played well, and were able to secure a spot in the finals.

Day #3 Wash U

Wash U was having a down year for their expectations, but Roger Fullmer, is a good coach, and even, though they were projected to lose in the semi-finals, they managed to pull out a huge 3-0 deficit win against Carnegie to put them in the finals. 

Emory vs. Wash U matches are like the NFC east football games, records don't matter, because rivalry between the 2 schools will almost always, make the matches close. Once again, doubles was going to be key, and it was critically important for us to set the tone early. On paper, we it was clear that we should dominate, but an 8 game doubles pro-set, can change that in a blink of an eye.

Fortunately, we took a 2-1 lead going into singles. We lost at 1, but were able to coast at 2 and 3. Pottish had a very tough opponent at 1, but once again, he was too much, and more importantly, his knee looked to be good going into our stretch run. Goody, at 2, played one of his better matches, against a very tough player, and ended up winning in straight sets. Wagner, at 4, took awhile to get going, his opponent is a very good and cagey player. He was frustrating Wags by moon balling, but once Ian found his rhythm and patience, it was over. At 5, Halps, played a talented young freshman, great ball striker. Halps, was too much as well, going undefeated all week. At 6, Ruds, was really struggling going to into the tourney, but his focus and tenacity, helped him play his best tennis in the finals. Last match, was Kowal at 3 singles. Kowal was playing another talented freshman, and managed to drop the first set, before, finally winning a marathon 3rd set breaker.

It was a great performance for our team and a UAA title. Potts was awarded MVP of the tourney, and Jaffe was given the title, ugliest golf swing in the world, next to mine.

JESSE FERLIANTO INTERVIEW: by Tyler Gadbois

Jesse Ferlianto is an amazing person. He is one of 2 players I have had win the coveted Woodruff Scholarship. Jesse was a concert pianist, top 30 So Cal player, and a perfect student. Thankfully, he turned down Harvard's acceptance and came to Emory. At Emory, Jesse was the true embodiment of a Division III athlete. Jesse immersed himself into all that Emory could offer. He started a swing dance club, played in a jazz ensemble group, and was apart of 2 NCAA team championships. One of the marks of a truly great team player is to come each day with the right attitude. I can count the number of times on 1 hand that Jesse was in a bad mood in his 4 year career. I will never forget Jesse's freshman year. One week before heading to Nationals, I made Jesse play a challenge match for the 6 position. He had started the year at 3, but half way through the season, he got sick, and was out for a couple of weeks. Jesse never got upset, but rather understood the situation, and played the match. He won in straight sets, and ended up winning a huge match in the finals to help us capture our 1st title. Jesse had a full plate at Emory and his time was definitely stretched thin, but he never received a grade below an A during his 4 year tenure.

1. What was it like to be a part of two NCAA championship teams while at Emory?

·         In the juniors, tennis was purely an individual sport for me.  At Emory, however, I learned that winning alongside your teammates is one of the most incredible feelings you can experience in the sport.  There’s nothing else like crossing the finish line together.

·         The shared memories from those seasons were incredible.  What made those championships so sweet was the fact that we experienced humbling losses early in both seasons.  In both of those years (2003 and 2006) we lost to Gustavus Adolphus in the National Indoors (in 2006 they almost shut us out 7-0).  The losses served as reality checks that showed us we had a lot of work to do.   We worked hard throughout the season and didn’t come into the NCAA’s with any sense of entitlement.  This helped take the pressure off and allowed us to focus on playing one point at a time.

·         I had incredible teammates during my time at Emory.  We were lucky that we had each other, as we were deep team and we beat each other up regularly during practice.  The intensity of our intra-squad matches raised everyone’s level and prepared us well for the real thing.  You know that feeling when you want something so badly that it hurts to wait?  That’s how we felt throughout each season.  The weeks leading up to the tournament were surreal, since we were so close to the end and couldn’t wait for game day to come.  The NCAA’s was our version of March Madness/Superbowl/Olympic Games, since most of us had no intention of pursuing a career in the sport.  So you can imagine how incredible it felt when we finally were able to hold the trophy.

2. What were your accomplishments throughout your tennis career at Emory?

·         I had the pleasure of playing doubles with Emory hall of famer Mark Odgers during the individual fall regional tournament one year.  We won the tournament and went on to get to the finals of the small college nationals.  With Odgers’ carrying me on his shoulders, I earned All-American honors that year. 

·         Got to play alongside incredible teammates en route to the two team NCAA titles (special thanks to: Alex Jacobs, Mark Odgers, Tyson Ramsay, Josh Rubens, Brad Jaffe, Dylan Bird, Patrick Redmond, Zack Smith, Yoji Masuoka, Lee Friedman, Mike Goodwin, Mark Boren, Mike Kaufman, Hardy Ehlers along with countless others helped us along the way)

·         Other honors: career and season singles win percentage records, NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship, Co-SIDA Academic All-American – first team, South Region Rookie of the Year, South Region Arthur Ashe Sportsman of the Year, Emory All-Time UAA Team, McDonough award.

3. How were you able to balance tennis while never receiving a grade below an A and also being a Woodruff Scholar?

·         I think having a full schedule forced me to be more disciplined and intentional about time management.  If I had a wide open schedule without tennis or other obligations I probably would have let more time go to waste.  In fact, I heard that athletes at Emory tend to have better grades than non-athletes, so I believe what I experienced is actually pretty common.

4. What advice do you have for current Emory tennis players?

·         Treasure every time you step on the court.  There is no better opportunity to play this wonderful sport at the highest level!  After college, I rarely had the time to play tennis.  When I did, it was hard to find a playing partner.  If that goes smoothly, there’s still the issue of finding open courts.  Even then, it’s nearly impossible to replicate the thrill of high-level competition that I experienced at Emory.

·         Enjoy the process, not just the end result.  It’s tempting to look ahead to the holy grail of NCAA’s at the beginning of each season.  I’m all for setting longer-term goals but the long season will be more satisfying if you stay present for each practice and each match.  There is much to be gained throughout the various experiences as a college tennis player, with or without the national championship at the end of the year.

·         Don’t use match results as the only barometer of your progress.  As one of the top teams in D3, you all will win a lot more matches than you will lose.  The question is how do you stay mentally engaged when things seem to be going well all season long?  One way to continually improve is to set smaller, short-term goals for yourself throughout the season and measure progress against those individual goals.  For me, short-term goals would have been improving % points won on 2^nd serve, points won at net, etc.  Continually challenging yourself irrespective of match results will help you get the most of the time you spend on court.

5. What are you doing now?

·         I am finishing up my MBA at UCLA Anderson, graduating this June.  Afterwards I will be returning to Atlanta to work at Chick-fil-A as a marketing consultant.

·         I have also been married to my college sweetheart, Susan, for nearly 4 years.  I must say that meeting her was the best thing that happened to me during my college years.

6. How often do you play tennis?

·         Ever since moving to LA for grad school, I’ve been playing about once a week.  I have some classmates and faculty at UCLA Anderson who enjoy getting out there for some baseline games or doubles sets.  There’s nothing like time away from a sport to make you fall in love with it all over again.

·         The weather in west LA is incredible (warm, no humidity) but it definitely spoils me!  The first match I play when I return to Hotlanta will surely end in bad muscle cramps.

7. What do you miss most about Emory and college tennis?

·         I miss all of the shared times we had together as a team.  Being able to roll out of your apartment and walk to nearby tennis courts to practice with over a dozen high-caliber tennis players and friends is incredible when you stop to think about it.  Beyond the day-to-day experiences, I miss the road trips, the shared meals, the spontaneous group outings.  We made many memories and shared a lot of laughs during those 4 years.  There’s nothing really like it.  To give you a sense of the camaraderie we had, a dozen of my teammates as well as Coach Browning flew in from around the country to celebrate our wedding a few years after I graduated.  It meant so much to me to have their support for us.

·         I also really miss competition.  I crave the feeling of having playing with the match on the line, but now I don’t have as many outlets for it.

8. What teams were Emory's biggest rivals when you played?

·         Gustavus Adolphus, UC Santa Cruz, Williams, Middlebury.  Middlebury took us out of the NCAA’s my sophomore year and went on to win their first championship.  Williams was always a contender for the title as they saved their best tennis for the post-season every year.  UC Santa Cruz had a brilliant coach in Bob Hansen as he had a reputation for helping all of his players reach their full potential. They took us out in my junior year on their way to the title.  As I mentioned earlier, Gustavus beat us twice at the National Indoors.  We always knew that we’d be in for a dog fight with any of these teams.

9. Why did you decide to go to Emory?

·         Emory had everything.  A world-class academic reputation, a strong undergrad business program through the Goizueta Business School, and a good chance to compete in the NCAA championships each year. Being a part of the Emory Scholars program was also a huge plus.

10. What was your favorite part about playing for Coach Browning?

·         I love Coach Browning’s ability to unify teams year after year.  He had a way of taking any diverse group of young men and making them all feel like they were a part of something fun and special.  He has a great sense of humor and helped us stay loose when things got tense.  No matter where we started each season, morale was always high by the end.

·         At the same time, Coach Browning also has a special ability to customize his coaching style for each player.  He understood all of our quirky habits and preferences and used these insights to help us perform our best.

DEPAUW

Johns Hopkins was a big match for us, sometimes, teams can have a massive let down after a big match. The great thing about this team is they really take each match seriously. Our senior and junior leaders set the tone and take a very professional approach. It makes my job easy.

Depauw is a well-coached team that has always played us tough. They have a lot of heart and never give up. This match was also very special in that we were supporting Depauw's head coach who was diagnosed with Parkinson's last year. My father was also diagnosed with the disease, it meant a great to deal to me that the players dawned the Parkinson's bracelet in support of the cause.

We got off to a very fast start in doubles at 2 & 3 doubles. Kahler and Wagner were too much at 2, serving big and doing a great job in return games. At 3, Pottish and Kowalski, played great and were beginning to feel very comfortable together. At 1, Hump and Goody struggled, but stayed with it. They eventually won, didn't play great, but stayed with it, and were slowly finding there 2011 form.

Singles was impressive. Pottish played great at 1, and has been finding his game, playing much more aggressively. Goody, at 2, struggled a bit in the 1st,but found his dominant form in the 2nd., He's very close to going to another level, and it doesn't hurt, that he's close to 100%. Kowalski, at 3, played a scrappy player, and saved his best tennis for the 3rd set breaker. At 4, Wagner, played one of his best matches of the season. Great bounce back from the Hopkins match, and most importantly, he was mentally poised throughout the match. Halp and Rud, were dominant at 5 &6. They are the linchpins to our success this year.

Great match, and more importantly, it was a great cause that we were supporting! Hopefully, the smart people can find a cure soon.

JOHNS HOPKINS MATCH

When I put together our 2012 schedule, I was very concerned about the Johns Hopkins match for a couple of reasons. First, they had a strong recruiting class and we were just getting back from an exhausting spring break trip. Our match was set for Thursday, so we had a few days to get our legs back and also get used to the yellow pollen caked courts.

I think the team also realized how tough the match was going to be. Hopkins was our first big match in our new stadium. As we were warming up, I was amazed at how great our new venue was with our stands and scoreboard. It completely changed the atmosphere. The crowd was late coming, but the stands were eventually filling up, and those that were there, were extremely loud. An awesome homecourt advantage.

The night before the match I decided to switch the doubles lineup. I wanted to eventually put Goodwin/Humphrey's back together at the number 1 spot. They were amazing last year, but I didn't know if the Hopkins match was the right time, especially because we were going to have a new team at 3 dubs with Kowal/Pottish playing for the first time. In hindsight, it was incredibly stupid on my part.

Doubles was going to be key for this match because Hopkins was definitely stronger in singles, so getting off to a great start was very very important. Doubles started out really shaky. The only team that came out firing was our 2 team. They got up an early break and were rolling. We got down early breaks at 1 and 3. At 1, the Hopkins team was playing well and Goodwin and Humphrey's were struggling to hold serve. Finally, they started finding their rhythm by breaking back, but, in the end, they only held once and ended up losing the pro- set.

We were now tied 1-1 and the Pottish and Kowalski found themselves down 7-4. At this point, my decision to change teams was beginning to backfire on us, and I was definitely not happy. Pottish and Kowal, fought back and didn't allow themselves to get mentally taken out of the match. They stormed back and won 9-7, giving us a 2-1 lead, and a great deal of mo. It was an amazing mental effort on their part and I instantly felt a little relieved. Still, when I look back it, that mistake on my part could have been ugly.

I also made a switch at 4 and 5 singles. I bumped up Halpern to 4 and moved Wagner down to 5. As singles began, we seemed to be in control. Pottish, who had been struggling to find his game, played one his best matches of the season against a tenacious competitor. Pott's played aggressively looking to  hit his forehand. At 3, Kowalski was playing a freshman, who had a record of 9-0 against him in the juniors. Kowalski, put aside the past failures, and took out Hopkins player 6-0 in the first. It was by far his best tennis of the season. Goody at 2, was playing a freshman who had some strong results against good competition, and I knew that Goody was still not at the top of his game. He managed to compete hard and took the first set. Halpern at 4, got off to a slow start, but battled back and won the 1st set. Wagner, at 5, was playing there best spot. The player was very good and Wags had a tough time stay mentally focused. He ended up losing the first set. At 6, Ruderman was locked in battle with another very good freshman and found himself down an early break. Rud is a very good competitor and didn't allow the early break to get to him. He ended up wining the first set.

Potts finished off the number 1, and I was thrilled at his level. Kowalski, got down an early break, but stayed with it, and finally, beat his junior rival for the first time. Kowalski, was definitely one our MVP's of the day. It was a hot day which at this stage of the season was not ideal for Goody. He ended up losing the 2nd set to a scrappy player. Wagner fought back in the second set, but could never  find his rhythm serving and eventually lost. At this point, we had won the match, but we still had 3 matches going on. Halpern was on serve in the 2nd set, and Ruderman finally won at 6, winning one his most important matches of season.

Once the match was decided, Goody had to play a breaker for the 3rd which was to our advantage. He played a great 10 point breaker, beating Hopkins decisively. Halpern, last match on, is very tough to beat, and in the end, he was too much, giving us a final score of 7-2.

It was a great match for us, and once again, the team rose to occasion. It was by far one our best effort in singles. It was nice to see the crowd support us throughout, and especially, our 2nd team was huge. Their support was definitely a big factor in aiding us to our win.

SAGEHEN TOURNEY: SKIDMORE&KENYON

It's tough to play 1 match in a day, let alone 2, against good competition. Skidmore was scheduled for 10am, a team that we had not faced in a very long time. I spoke to the Skidmore coach about Goody. He was not very happy that he was now playing 5 after moving up a spot after the Cal Lu coach. I understood his frustration and he made it clear to me that 5 was their best spot.

We got off to a great start in doubles by building a 3-0 lead. 5 was definitely their best spot, as Goodwin, struggled a bit, but still won in straight sets. The only potential hiccup was at 3 against Wagner. Wagner was locked in a battle against Skidmore's 3. As I watched the match, I was really impressed with Skidmore's 3 guy. He was very good and ended up taking the first set. One of the biggest lessons I have learned coaching is that you have to respect your opponent no matter the ranking of the individual or team. As soon as you lose sight of this fact, you can find yourself in a bad position. Wagner was definitely, frustrated, but battled back to win a 3rd set tiebreaker. I was very proud of him, because as soon as he focused, he allowed his opponent's strong level to raise his own to higher one. It was great tennis at the end, and thankfully, Wag's came out on top. Another bright spot was Kowalski's play at 2. He won in straight sets which validated his hard work and gave him some confidence. We ended up winning 9-0.

We left the courts to get lunch and get ready for our upcoming show down with Kenyon, a very dangerous team. I felt good about going into this match, the mood during warmup was relaxed, and having played a match in the morning, I knew we were ready.

One of the biggest mistakes you can ever make is feeling too relaxed. I definitely felt like we were going to come out firing, but Kenyon also had nothing to lose, and they changed their doubles lineup since the last time we played them at indoors. We won at 1 doubles, and for the first time, we lost at 2. Wagner/Kahler had been carrying us the entire season, so it was very difficult to be upset with them, especially because their 2 team played lights out. The last doubles point was a hard fought match at 3 doubles. Humphrey's and Kowalski got down an early break, but fortunately, they battled back. They ended up losing in a tiebreaker, but I was very proud of their ability to stay focused even when they got down an early break.

We were down 2-1 going into singles. Kenyon definitely had the mo, but fortunately, our guys did not panic. Instead we went out and played extremely well. Pott was in a battle with the number 1 player, but ended up winning in straight sets. Kowalski, after getting a much needed win against Skidmore, played some of his best tennis against a very talented freshman. Kowalski ended up winning a tiebreaker in the 1st set, after being down a set point, and then cruised in the 2nd set. I was extremely proud of Wagner at 2 singles. He never allowed his opponent to get any mo, and stayed focused and positive throughout the match. Wagner is very tough to beat when he stays positive. Goodwin, moved up to 4 and was obviously way too good. At 5, Halpern, again got down big early, and was even down a set point, before finding his rhythm and taking control of the match and winning in straight sets. Ruderman, at 6, had to wait for a court to open up. Ruderman, finally got on court and played a very tricky player. At this point, the match was over and the player was going for broke and converting. Ruderman, is very good at staying poised, even when he finds himself struggling. He lost the 1st set, but battled back in 2nd set to go up a break. Unfortunately, it started raining and the match was cancelled.

We ended up beating Kenyon 6-2. It was a very good day considering we had to play 2 matches. Our win against Kenyon propelled us into the finals against Claremont. Our match was scheduled for Saturday morning, but we had heard early in the week that the LA area was expecting a big storm. I have very little faith in weather forecasts and I didn't want the guys to presume that we were not going to play the next day. Fortunately, I have a lot of faith in our leadership and I knew that they would not let the team slip into a false sense of reality.

I woke up early on Saturday and it was raining. The streets were wet and after about an hour we called off the match. It's too bad because I know the team was looking forward to playing Claremont. The trip was almost over. We were heading out on the red-eye, and I know, that everyone had a great time, but we were also ready to get back to ATL.

A major trip like this takes many people to make it successful. I want to thank Bone and Alex for their tireless work and also the team. My main goal, being a parent, is to get everyone home safely. The team was amazingly responsible and kept a great attitude considering the time changes and sketchy weather.

Thanks to all who made this trip possible!

CAL LUTHERAN MATCH

We left Hawaii on Tuesday, March 13. We arrived in LA at 9:30pm, and didn't get into our hotel until 1:30am. Our match was scheduled for 1pm the next day, so I was definitely concerned about the match. Cal Lu, was playing good tennis beating Kenyon, Trinity TX, and Pomona. I was really unsure how the boys were going to respond considering the time change and a lack of sleep. 

As we were warming up for the match, I was really proud of our captains, especially Will Humphreys, for getting the guys going. 30 minutes into the warmup, Goodwin, decided he was ready to enter the singles lineup. He was progressing extremely well in Hawaii and our plan was to insert him the lineup, but I wanted to make sure that he was ready. The next question was where to put him in the lineup, considering his last set of singles was in October. We decided to put him in at 6, which was definitely going to raise some red flags. I notified the Cal Lu coach before the match and he was amazingly cool about Goodwin's placement considering his injuries etc... Unfortunately, that meant I had to pull Simon Lavoie Perusse from the lineup. Simon made my job really easy and handled the situation with grace. I have a lot of respect for him considering I made the decision during warmup. 

We came out on fire in doubles. It was by far our best effort and we were able to get out to a 3-0 lead. This took a lot of pressure off us going into singles, and more importantly, it spoke volumes of this teams mental fortitude. They could have whined and moaned about the time change and lack of sleep, but instead, they chose to battle and were rewarded for there attitude in doubles. `

Singles started out strong, but Cal Lu wouldn't lay down, even being down 3-0. Goodwin was the first off the court and helped to stake us to a 4-0 lead. Goodwin never ceases to amaze me. The fact that he hadn't played a set for over 6 months and was able to dismantle his opponent speaks volumes about his focus and talent. Goodwin is by far one of the most silently competitive players I have ever coached. 

At this point, we were up 4-0, and Cal Lu started to come back. Pott split against a very good player at 1 and was definitely not sharp. Kowalski also split at 2, and Wagner, at 3 won the first set, but lost the second set and was struggling. At 4, Halpern dropped the first set against a very cagey player. At 5, Ruderman, was playing the best spot in their lineup, won the first set, but the match was very close, especially in the second set.

Pott was down a break, 4-3 in the 3rd, but somehow managed to break back and eventually win the 3rd for the 5th point. Pott like Good, is hyper competitive. That's why they are the 2 best players in the country. Every match that Pott plays, he has a target on his back. The pressure he has to deal with is amazing, but what's impressive is that he doesn't back down, even when he doesn't have his A game. Pott finds ways to compete even when he's playing poorly. The biggest lesson I learn from watching Pott and Good over the years, is they never take themselves out of a match emotionally. They get frustrated, but they have an uncanny ability to let negative circumstances go. This is a gift, and not easy to do. 

Wagner got down 4-1 in the 3rd against a very good player, but stormed back and reeled of 5 games for the win. At 4, Halpern won the 2nd, and took his game to another level in the 3rd. Halpern is a very slow starter, but he never panics and stays with it. Ruderman won in straight sets. This was by far his best win. Kowalski lost in a tiebreaker for 3rd. It was a disappointing loss for him, but his level was much better than indoors.

This match had the markings of a potential disaster. The upperclassman established their leadership in this match, including, Elliot Kahler. There positive energy was the key! 

MY RECAP OF HAWAII

One of my biggest goals over the summer was to organize a special trip for the seniors. I try to take a nice trip once every 4 years. I grew up in Hawaii and thought it would be the perfect trip. Organizing a trip for over 20 people to Hawaii requires an absurd amount of work. This trip could not have become a reality without the help of Chris Redmond, my assistant coach, who spent many hours organizing flights, hotels, and staying on top of the fundraising, which could be the worst part of the job.

My brother(lives in Hawaii) called me the day before we were ready to embark on our journey, to let me know that they had 15 inches of rain the past week, and the forecast was not good for our trip. PERFECT!

Thursday, March, 8th:

We arrived in Hawaii to cloudy sky's and cool weather for March, honestly we left better weather in Atlanta. I was hoping this wasn't going to be an omen for our trip. The next issue was the location and quality of our hotel. Reserving hotels online is little like playing Russian Roulette, so to say that Bone and I were apprehensive, is a little bit of an understatement. Fortunately, the Aqua Palms was bearable and the location was good. The older I get, the more jet lag effects me, so I went to bed once we got in our room. 

Friday, March 9th: 

Our goal the next day was to practice for at least 2 hours, but, once again, it rained all day. So, on Friday, we ate. We had arguably the best Chinese food I have ever eaten, and more importantly, it was cheap.

Saturday, March 10th: 

We all woke up to, guess, more rain! The trip was starting to become a little frustrating. Today, was our match day against BYU-Hawaii, and the probability of actually getting this match in, was the same odds of Alex Chun hitting his driver down the middle of the fairway. Fortunately, we got the match in, and even in 35 mph winds, our boys played extremely well considering the circumstances. I want to thank BYU-Hawaii, they were amazing hosts. 

Sunday. March 11th:

Finally, sun. I let the boys sleep in, and at noon, we headed to Oahu country club to get some practice in. It was a nice and relaxing time at the club. I was able to see my brothers and hang out with them, while the boys waited patiently for their food to arrive 2 hours later. The highlight of the day was our trip to Makapuu beach. If you have never had a chance to body surf in Hawaii, there's no way to describe how brutal the under toe and waves can be. We arrived to a beautiful setting, and marveled at our surroundings. As we were heading to the beach, the life-guards, yelled out to our team that they had already pulled out 10 people because of the brutal conditions. This did not deter our boys, they attacked the waves, and stayed out there for awhile. Jackson Isaacs, definitely, gets the MVP for his effort on the beach.  We finished the day with a run to wonderful Rainbows drive in. 

Monday: March 12:

Last day in paradise. We had a great practice at my former high school and then we all went our separate ways. Weather was good, and I decided to join Coach Redmond, Coach Chun, and Chris Goodwin for a friendly round of golf. Coach Red and I, joined forces and decided to take on Goody and Alex. Redmond and I, had a huge mountain to climb. Goodwin, can be very frustrating to play because he tends to adjust his lies in the middle of the fairway. At one point, on the 9th fairway, I over heard, Goodwin ask Alex for a tee, so he could get a cleaner hit with his 3 wood. I let it go, but, I was mad. Fortunately, the course was very fair, especially off the tee box, and we didn't have to negotiate the wind, so that was a plus. With 4 holes to play, Bone and I found ourselves down 3 holes. We overcame the sketchy lies, questionable scores, to win the coveted trophy.

The best thing about Hawaii was watching the team respond to adverse conditions. The team was amazing!!

They could have been sour, but they kept a great attitude with the weather and the trying conditions against BYU-Hawaii.

SPRING BREAK RECAP: BY ELLIOT KAHLER

“The Tale of the Eagle: Emory Men’s Tennis Spring Break 2012”

            This Spring break I was fortunate enough to be a part of a group of world-class traveling men, otherwise known as the Emory University men’s tennis team. With us were our fearless leaders: coach Browning, Redmond, and Chun and we were set to embark on a journey to unknown lands to search for the nectar of sweet, sweet victory. While this endeavor seemed distant from our current foothold in Atlanta, we set off on a long journey to Oahu, Hawaii as our first destination for the trials of competition. I along with many of my comrades had never been to this part of the United States, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to visit Oahu, “The Gathering Place”, made available only through fundraising from generous donors and family. After ten hours, three movies, and two books, I was in Hawaii. The journey in itself had provided the team-bonding atmosphere that I dream about a night, and it was only the first day. We still had matches to win. After we settled in our hotel at the lush Aqua Palms and after I had established myself as the alpha male in room 422, we had a team event in which we discussed the expedition in front of us. As always for us, winning tennis matches comes before anything else. Before we knew it the day of battle was upon us and the battering winds and threatening clouds proved daunting. Mental stability, patience, and perseverance allowed us to triumph over opponents from BYU-Hawaii, 7-2. It was a test of desire, and in the end I was proud of all of our men who came out to fight in an effort to solidify us as legitimate title contenders. For the remainder of our stay in Hawaii we encountered the beauty of the island first hand with adventures such as hiking, bodysurfing, and shark dodging. I felt I was in Jurassic Park. Before I knew it, we were off to California. Hawaii had served as an appetizer for our voracious desire to win, and we were on to play California Lutheran University in preparations for the Stag-Hen tournament. Reeling from our previous win in the middle of the Pacific, we came out firing and our insatiable aspiration for victory was temporarily quenched with an 8-1 victory over the Kingsmen. It was a great victory for our men, and in spots, it was some of the best tennis we had played all year. However, there was much room for improvement and the Stag-Hen would serve as the canvas for our incessant paintbrushes. First up was Skidmore. As favorites we came out and dominated, uniting as a team in tenacious fashion, taking the contest 9-0, and I truly felt our boys looked hungry and humble. Later that day, under the peril of imminent rain and thunder, we were matched up against Kenyon. We had battled this team before and come out victorious, but we knew we must not take them lightly. In the beginning we faltered, but our team unity and overall level of competition allowed us to recover to an undeniable victory, putting us in the finals. On the final day, it was a washout, but I was proud to have experienced such a sublime voyage with men I am proud to call teammates. This proved to be an important step in the process toward the final goal, an NCAA Championship, and seeing the courage and resolve within each of our men, I am confident with where we are headed. Signing off for now.

Elliot Kahler

THE 2012 TEAM

Our team is comprised of 17 very good players. Unfortunately, when we get to NCAA's, only 8 can play. This can be incredibly frustrating for players and coaches. Everyone wants to play and feel like they are contributing. I would even go as far as to say that we could field another team that would be ranked among the top 20 teams is Division III. One of the hardest challenges in my job, is to keep everyone motivated and feeling like they are apart of something bigger than themselves. It's not easy and more times than not, I fail at this endeavor. My focus 99% of the time goes to the players that are in the lineup, to the detriment of the guys who are not in that mix.

I have forever tinkered with the idea of fielding a smaller team, but the one example that keeps me from doing this is Will Humphreys. Will is the only walk-on I have ever had at Emory. Will didn't play his first 2 years and was a 2 star recruit on tennisrecruiting.net(nice pic of him). Will, is currently, one our best doubles players, an NCAA All-American, and one of our captains. Will's patience and perseverance is truly admirable and inspiring for everyone who is struggling to make the lineup.

It amazes me how hard these guys work who are not currently in the lineup, and continue to bleed for Emory tennis, considering they are at a rigorous academic instituiton with many different options they could pursue, but they are committed, and more importantly, they are very good and will one day have a chance to take us over the top if they stay focused and hungry.

Nick Szczurek:
Nick played 4 last year, and now, he is currently, waiting for his chance to be in the lineup. Nick, on any D-III team, would be in the lineup. Lately, I have been so proud of his attitude and the way he is battling. Nick, is slowly becoming a leader, and also, a player to watch later in the season. Nick, is one our most talented players at Emory.

Dylan Wright:
Dylan is more passionate about the game then most. Dylan is the type of player that every coach wants on his team. Low maintenance, talented, and would run through walls if he was in the lineup. Dylan's game has progressed over the years and continues to be very close to the lineup. I have a great deal of respect for him, and I appreciate the fact that he never takes a day off.

Eric Rothschild:
Eric has endured a great deal over the past 3 years at Emory. I have so much respect for Eric in who the person he has become today. Eric is extremely talented, and like Dylan, is close to fighting for a spot. Eric has matured a great deal, and hopefully, he will keep battling. One of my greatest joys as a coach is watching our players mature over their tenure at Emory.

Ayush Bajoria:
I have said this many times, but I consider Ayush, to be one of the best doubles players I have ever had in my 20+ years of coaching. Ayush is amazingly talented and extremely fun to watch. My only hope is that Ayush realizes this and works to fulfill the potential that he has shown.

Jackson Isaacs:
Jackson is the guy I want to be next to in a war. Jackson has the heart of champion and is growing to be a great leader. Jackson at a young age overcame a major health issue and continued to play tennis, while many parents would have told him to quit. Last year, Jackson was doing a timed-mile-n-half, and had an accident on the track. He puked to the side and kept going. This episode did me zero favors with the track coach, but showed me what kind of heart he has.

Eric Seidelman:
Eric is also very close to going to a new level in his game. Eric is incredibly talented, like most players on our team, but he has the build and game to be very good. We are trying to get him to be a little nastier and consistent on the court. Eric, like Jackson, is growing to be a future leader of this team.

Tyler Gadbois:
Yesterday, before practice, I was walking to the courts and saw one player hitting a basket of serves by himself. I was so impressed to see Tyler working on his game by himself. This speaks volumes to Tyler's passion to get better, and there is no doubt in my mind, that he will eventually be a contribor, like Will.

Nazar Bilukha:
Nazar, joined our team in January. Nazar has proven to be the ultimate team player. He was so happy to be apart of our roster that he strung everyone's racket as a chance to say thank you. Nazar, is another player that would bleed for this team and I sincerely appreciate his presence and work ethic.

A team is comprised of more than just it's stars. In order to win championships, everyone needs to sacrifice and have the team as it's #1 priority. I have been blessed this year to have a group of individuals who understand this fact, and more importantly, a team, that realizes what a golden opportunity we have been given.

Day 3: THE SLUGS

The reason I got into coaching was because of Bob Hansen, the former men's tennis coach at UC Santa Cruz. He was my mentor and 2nd father. Bob was and is the best coach in Division III tennis, if not, all of college tennis. Bob, had many chances to go Division I, but chose to stay at Santa Cruz because of his family. Bob was the best teacher of fundamentals I have ever come in contact with, and way ahead of his time in regards to teaching technique. Bob is the John Wooden of college coaching and he left Santa Cruz because of personal reasons. It's still hard for me to imagine that he's at Middlebury, but, I know that Middlebury is extremely lucky to have him. Bob built a dynasty at Santa Cruz, and his replacement, Bryce Parmelly, is in the unenviable position of replacing him. I give Bryce a lot of credit, considering it's a horrible position to be in. Bryce is definitely the right man for the job and I know that he will do a great job.

It's amazing how perceptions change in a span of 24 hours. After the Kenyon match, our confidence was restored, and our team was looking forward to playing the slugs. We hadn't beaten them in over 5 years so this was a big match. We came out ready to play in doubles. Kahler and Wagner set the tone, jumping on the 2 team from Santa Cruz. At 1, we were on serve, but looked much better after a 2 match warmup. 3 doubles got down an early break, but battled to break back and eventually secure us a win. Going into singles we had managed to open up a 3-0 lead and had broken the spirit of the slugs. Once again, energy was a key to our success in doubles. Our boys would not be denied during doubles and basically overwhelmed them. Kahler and Wagner went 3-0 over the tourney and established themselves as a team to watch over the season. Pottish and Goodwin finally found their stride and showed why they are the 2 best players in the country. Humphreys leadership and Kowalski's fire, was equally impressive as the finished the tourney 2-1. 

Even up 3-0, you can never relax, especially in the format we were playing. Momentum change in the blink of an eye. Pottish, at 1, was playing a very good player, who played 3 at UC Santa Barbara, last season. I watched him in doubles and initially thought that Pottish would be able to man handle him, but, you can never ever judge a book by the cover. He was very good and pressed Pottish for the entire match. Pottish is one of the best competitors I have ever seen in D-III, so despite the fact that he was not playing his best tennis, his ability to focus and compete helped him overcome the challenge from the feisty slug. Wagner at 3, was playing a very cagey player, unorthodox, and got down an early break in the first set, but he managed to right the ship, and helped us get our 4 point. After the Gustavus match, Wagner settled down, and played his best tennis in the finals. Pottish clinched the match and we were now up 5-0. 

One of the hardest things to do in college tennis is to keep your focus and intensity when you are forced to play even when the match has been decided. Kowalski, at 2, had to play a 10 point breaker for the 3rd, against a player, who was able to compete in the individuals last year. Kowalski, lost, but proved that he can be a contributor in this lineup. Halpern at 4, was once again too much for his opponent, and finished the weekend 3-0.  Lavoie-Perusse, at 5, played a guy who was swinging for the fences, and ended up losing in 10 point breaker. After a sloppy first set, he played much better. Ruderman, at 6, once again, got out of the gates slowly, but he is a very good competitor, and was able to secure our 7th point.

I would be remiss if I didn't thank Chris Redmond and Alex Chun, our assistant coaches. They did an amazing job, and what you need to remember, is that they are working for basically free. Most D-III teams do not have an assistant coach let alone 2. These guys come everyday, trying to help our team get better. Chris and Alex, have made Emory tennis a central part of their lives, and we are truly blessed to have them with us. Also, we have Peter Marcinkowski, a senior, who has taken the role of student-assistant. I have been amazed at how committed he has been to helping our players. He is truly one of the best people I know in life, unselfish, and a person you want to have in your life. I also want to thank Nick. He did not play over the weekend, but travelled with us, and was an amazing supporter during our run. It's not easy to watch from the sidelines, but he put the team ahead of his own personal interest, a mark of someone who was raised the right way.

Lastly, winning indoors is awesome, but it's only the 1st act of a long season. We have along way to go as a team, but hopefully, we will stay motivated, and realize, that you don't win NCAA titles in February. Physical and mental preparation is the key and we need to keep the hammer down!

DAY 2: KENYON

Kenyon is coach by Scott Thiele. Scott has done an amazing job at Kenyon considering it's not the easiest of places to recruit. Scott's team always compete hard and are usually ranked among the top 8 teams in the country.

The night before the semi-final match against Kenyon, I was definitely a little concerned after our performance against Gustavus. I have had veteran teams that have played poorly in the early rounds of a tournament, but I knew, from past performances what they were capable of achieving. We had 5 new starters in the lineup for the match against Gustavus, so no one, including coaches and veterans, really knew what to expect. My hope and belief was that we would get stronger as the tournament progressed, but I was still concerned about our upcoming match against a feisty Kenyon team.

Once again, we started our slowly at 1 and 3 doubles, going down early breaks at each position. At one point Pottish and Goodwin were down 7-4, while 3 doubles was struggling to hold and still down a break. The only positive we had was the performance at 2 doubles. Kahler and Wagner continued their high level of play from the night before and seemed to be in control of the match.

At one point, it looked like we were going to be down 2-1 again after doubles. But, then the tide turned, and we got a little momentum. The energy across the 3 courts really is the reason why we got going, instead of panicking, our guys dug in, and started battling. Goodwin and Pottish stormed back and won. It was a remarkable win considering the circumstances, but I really shouldn't be surprised, considering what they accomplished in their tenure at Emory. Kahler and Wagner secured us the 2nd point and we were rolling. It's amazing how the tenor of a match change so quickly, at one point, it looked we were going down 2-1, and now, we were up 2-0. One match left, and I was feeling very confident, considering we were up 7-6, 40-15. The worst thing you can ever do as a coach, is assume a match is over when you have a match point. It's bad karma. Humphrey's and Kowalski, got broken, and instead of going up 3-0, we were now faced with the prospect of a comeback from Kenyon. Senior captain, Will Humphreys, is a great competitor, especially under pressure. Most teams, after squandering match points, would crumble, but Will kept freshman Kowalski focused, and they ended up winning in a tiebreaker. It was an absolutely huge lift for the team and it gave us the momentum we needed.

We started singles with a commanding 3-0 lead, and more importantly, we had the momentum at our backs. We sent out our top 3 singles matches and continued to apply the pressure. Pott was matched up with a very tough player, but his experience and talent was too much for Kenyon. Kowalski, at 2, was playing Kenyon's top freshman recruit, and grinded out a 3 set win. Wagner, at 3, was much more comfortable, and showcased his talent that he had displayed in practice, and against AUM. We now were up 6-0.  Halpern was dominant at 4. Eric is one of our best spots in the lineup. Lavoie-Perusse,  lost at 5, in 3rd set breaker. Ruderman, at 6, got a slow start, but he buckled down, and showed everyone why he is a major threat in our lineup.

It's amazing how your impressions of team change in 24 hours. We were much more relaxed and confident against Kenyon, and more importantly, we walked out of Swanson center feeling good about the win.

2012 ITA INDOOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

The boys captured their 2nd straight ITA National Indoor championship beating the slugs 7-2 in the finals. The ITA indoor tourney is 3 day intense grind played out on only 3 courts. Each matches average close to 6 hours with dramatic highs and lows along the way. I was extremely proud of our team's ability to stay focused and intense throughout this marathon. For the 4 freshman starters, it was baptism by fire, pressure they have never felt, but thankfully, they rose to the challenge, and can now use this valuable experience for the rest of the season.

The national indoor tournament is also when our team actually becomes a team. Everyone knows the fall is much more individual with the new guys getting their feet wet and slowly getting use to their new surroundings. Our senior's did a wonderful job of bringing everyone together and it showed with the unity we all felt during our matches. It was amazing to watch how much they supported each other. It was the key to our success.

Day 1: Gustavus Adolphus

One of the hardest things to do at the indoor championships is to play Gustavus on their home courts with 4 freshman in the lineup. Match time was set for 5pm. I told the guys the night before that the courts would be extremely loud with their fans sitting basically on the courts. At 4:45pm, the stands were empty, Pottish, walked up to me jokingly, and asked me where all the fans were hiding. Sure enough, by the end of intro's, the stands were filling up. It was an awesome atmosphere, very loud and raucous, the kind of atmosphere I wished we could experience more often. 

This was also the debut of Chris Goodwin who had been sitting due to injury. We decided to team up our 2 best players who had played with each other a couple of years ago and leave 2 and 3 the same. Gustavus with the help of their crowd got out of the gates early with a couple of early breaks at 1 and 3. Goodwin and Pottish faced an uphill battle seeing how it was Chris's first match back and also because they hadn't played together in 2 years. Elliot Kahler and Ian Wagner took the crowd out their match by jumping on the 2 team from Gustavus early. They are becoming a very explosive team and fun to watch. Elliot's a junior transfer, so his leadership on court has really helped the talented freshman, Ian Wagner. Humphrey's and Kowalski played a red-hot team at 3 and lost in a tiebreaker. So, after doubles, we found ourselves down 2-1.

Being down 2-1 against the home team, with the crowd hoping for a massive upset, on 3 courts, is not the greatest position to be in. Fortunately, our guys didn't panic. Pottish, Halpren, and Kowalski, were the first 3 matches to take the court. Our goal, going into singles, was to re-establish the momentum, and take the crowd out of the match. Halpern got a slow start, but his game was way too much for the #4 at Gustavus, and got us even with Gustavus. Kowalski played a guy with a big serve and ground game. Kowalski seems to be our resident pit bull. He's feisty and likes to compete with the lights on him. Kowalski was able to give us our first lead. Up 3-2, with Pottish up a set, I was starting to feel a little easier, bad decision on my part. Pott had a tough match with a very good serve and volleyer. Pott won the first, but up losing the second set. The greatest thing about Pottish, is his ability to make adjustments in a match without panicking. Pott's, adjusted his game by taking the return earlier, and then, took control of the match securing us a 4-2 lead. Next up to bat was Wagner at 3 and Simon at 5. In my head, at this point, I really thought Gustavus was going to lay down, but they have a lot heart and stayed with it. Gustavus's 3 and 5 players ended up winning the first sets, and once again, got the momentum back on their side. Fortunately, our guys battled back and won the 2nd sets, but the third sets would not be pretty. Wagner ended up losing in 3, but Simon was up 5-2 in the 3rd, playing great tennis. Unfortunately, his opponent did not pack it in, and with the aid of the crowd, he battled back to get the match back on serve. Simon, saved his best tennis for the 5-4 game and broke him to secure the win. Alex Ruderman, finally, after 5 hours was able to take the court at 6. The 5 and 6 guys playing with this 3-court format, is by far the hardest position to be in. They have to endure the highs and lows while trying to be ready to compete after sitting for 5 hours. Ruderman did a nice job of being patient even after losing the first set, and elevated his game to secure the win.

After the match, we were all relieved, but also, frustrated. One of the hardest things about playing for Emory, is sometimes when you win, you feel like you have lost. The mood was definitely not joyous after playing tentative for most of the match and not showcasing our talent like we had against AUM. But, we all know, that playing against D-III teams in this kind of pressure-filled environment is a different deal. We don't always face guys that are slicing every shot, and even hitting slice forehand passing shots, not to mention the home crowd surging for an upset. In hindsight, it was a perfect 1st round match especially for the younger guys, they got a chance to get a glimpse of what May will feel like. The experience is priceless, and ultimately, we didn't panic, but kept our focus, even if it wasn't pretty.

Day 2 will come later. (Kahler was not on hand to edit, so I am sorry if there's any grammatical errors)

Grammatical errors

Due to my incessant problems with being able to construct coherent sentences, junior Elliot Kahler, an english and poetry major, has offered to be my editor.

Thanks Elliot.

2012 ITA INDOOR NATIONALS

We are heading off tommorow to Mankato, Minnesota, for the ITA Indoor National Championship. Thanks to Coach Jeff Northman, men's tennis coach for Whitman College, for creating this event over 12 years ago. The first ITA championship was held at Walla Walla, Washington, at Whitman college. Division III tennis owes Coach Northman a debt of gratitude for starting this wonderful event. The ITA indoors is the closet feel to the NCAA's we have. Jeff was unable to continue the event, and thankfully, Coach Steve Wilkerson, Gustavus Adophus (DIII legendary coach), was able to keep it going. Last year, Coach Todd Helbling, from Mary Washington, took it over(after Coach Wilkerson retired), and did an excellent job of hosting the event. The event requires a great deal of planning and financial commitment, so there is not a lot of schools who can host this event. Whitman, Gustavus, and Mary Washington, have been very gracious to take it on.

Coach Tommy Valentine(2nd year coach) at Gustavus Adophus, was kind of enough to host the event, considering the event was almost  scratched for 2012. Tommy was a member of the Gustavus team we played in the NCAA semi's 10 years ago at Santa Cruz. Tommy has done a wonderful job filling in for the legendary Steve Wilkerson.

I was always look forward to this event because it's a great experience for our players, especially the freshman. Make sure to follow the results on our website, there should be live scoring. I will also try to post after the matches. 

EAGLES TAKE DOWN GPC 8-1

Once again, we were able to get a quick start in doubles winning at 2 and 3. Elliott Kahler and Ian Wagner are starting to become a very strong team at number 2. They both have very big serves and are always making the serve team work with a high % of returns in play. Will Humphreys and Brian Kowalski were solid at 3 doubles and staked us to a 2-1 advantage.

Pottish once again was dominant at 1 singles. It's amazing how much pressure he takes off the rest of the lineup with his consistent performances at the toughest position in the lineup. It was nice to see Kowalski at 2, and Halpern at 4, secure their first wins in singles. Kowalski played a dominant first set and was able to hold off a late GPC surge in the 2nd set. Halpern had a tough 3 set match, and didn't play his best tennis, but he showed a lot heart in the 3rd set, and raised his level to secure a victory. It was nice to see him fight through a not so perfect day.Ian Wagner, Simon Lavoie-Perusse, and Alex Ruderman continue to be solid and dominant at their positions.

The ITA Indoor National Championship will begin a week from today. Fortunately, we have another week of preparation which will help us be ready for the challenge. The ITA Indoors is always one of the highlights of the year and extremely important for the younger players, so they get a feel for the intensity they are going to face in May.

Georgia Perimeter Match PREVIEW

When I first got to Emory, GPC, was a junior college powerhouse. GPC's top players would head off to big-time D-1 schools. Coach Billy Pate was the sole reason they were so successful. Billy had a knack for attracting top international players who were not ready academically to enter 4 year institutions. Billy has since moved on, and he is currently the head coach for the men's tennis team at Alabama.

When Billy left, the program fell apart. I am not sure if they lost scholarships, but the talent stopped coming. Last year, GPC, got a new coach, Mohamed Omar. He has definitely picked up where Billy left off. I saw last year when we played them that he was turning the program around. They had a few good players, but more importantly, they were acting like a team that wanted to win. I had an inkling at that time that he was going to rebuild the program.

They have started strong this season with all-international lineup. Omar's teams compete hard so we are definitely in for a fight. Once again, doubles will be key. We need a fast start in doubles, hopefully, we can come out with the energy and fire we had against AUM. It should be a fun match, and it's nice to see GPC is returning to their dominant past.

MARK ODGERS

Mark Odgers was a former 8 time NCAA All-American, and one of the few players, if had chosen, could have played at the next level. Mark had it all, a huge all-court game and mental toughness that could have been very successful at the pro level. I will never forget Mark's freshman year, when in the semi-final match, against Gustavus Adolphus stud, Eric Butorac, his 3rd set tiebreaker win, was the one of the best displays of tennis under pressure I have ever seen. His win and Alex Jacobs, studly win at the 4 spot, catapulted a very young team to the NCAA finals. Eric Butorac, is currently a top 30 doubles player in the world, and there is no doubt in my mind, that Mark could be right there with Eric among the top doubles players in the world.

Fortunately, for Emory tennis, Mark sacrificed his personal ambitions, to help our program. Mark was my assistant coach for 5 years, and during this time, my admiration of him grew. Mark worked tirelessly to help our team reach the next level. Words cannot express my gratitude for all his many contributions. Players adored Mark, and he really helped Chris Redmond, become the assistant coach he is today. 

Mark is currently married, to his wonderful wife, Molly, and they currently, reside in Dallas, Texas. Mark is continuing to play at a high level. Recently, he narrowly lost in doubles challenger finals, which would have catapulted him in the main draw, and given him precious ATP points. Mark embodied all that is good with Emory athletics. 

Thanks for all of your contributions, I will never be able to repay you!!!

THE ARCHITECT OF EMORY TENNIS AND HALL FAME MEMBER, COACH SCHROER

I have had the pleasure of knowing Coach Schroer for many years, and over that time, he has become a mentor and a dear friend. Coach Schroer is one of the most well-respected people at Emory and Division III men's tennis. Anyone who has ever played for Emory tennis owes Coach Schroer a huge debt of gratitude. The success we have enjoyed is directly attributed to his work over his 31 plus years of coaching at Emory.

Interview with Coach Schroer: by freshman Alex Ruderman.

1)       I came to Emory in the Fall of 1967 as Men’s Tennis Coach and Instructor in Physical Education.  I was tennis coach from 1967 through 1999.  I have continued teaching in the physical education department since retiring as the Men’s tennis coach.

2)      There have been many memorable players and teams but 1996 stands out as one of the most memorable.  We hosted nationals in 1996 and  had a better than average team.  The outstanding part about that team was that they continued to improve throughout the season and overachieved constantly.  We lost badly to Kalamazoo in the regular season (7-0).  Then at nationals we beat Redlands in the first round (4-2) and played K-zoo in the second round.  They were the obvious favorite but we won 4-3.  Santa Cruz beat us in the finals 4-2 and repeated as national champions for their second in a row.

3)      Memorable players are too numerous to mention.  It is nice to have the first Emory All-American come from the Men’s tennis program.  That was Steve Gittleson.  The Men’s tennis team also had the first NCAA scholar athlete.  That was Roy Martino.  The NCAA awarded three post-graduate awards to men’s tennis in 1972.  Danny Birchmore from the University of Ga. tennis team received one, Roy received one and I can’t remember who received the other.  There were only three awards for all of collegiate tennis and that made it very special.  Todd Kennedy was a four time All-American and NCAA III Rookie of the year.  Gavin O’Connell, a three time NCAA III All-American,

        continued playing competitively ff graduation and played some matches for the Atlanta Thunder in World Team Tennis.

4)      First of all, I was not the first Men’s tennis coach.  I followed Crawford Henry and I don’t know who preceded him.  Crawford was a world class player who graduated from Tulane and played with some of the nationally and world ranked players of that era.  I would like to think the players of my tenure worked hard, played with heart and many were over-achievers.

5)      We had several rivals.  Nationally, Kalamazoo was our biggest.  We played them every year on their Spring trip to Florida and, unfortunately, I can count on one hand the number of times we beat them.  Gustavus Adolphus, Claremont Mudd, Redlands and Swarthmore were perennial dogfights.  Santa Cruz a powerhouse but we rarely saw them during the regular season.   Regionally, Trinity was our biggest rival.  Our relationships were cordial and respectful.  With few exceptions, the coaches kept rivalries in a proper perspective.

6)      I follow the Men’s and Women’s programs but rarely sit through a complete match.

7)      The Men’s program has accelerated to new levels since Coach Browning took over in 2000.  Any advice I could give would be to put your games in his hands, work hard and take nothing for granted.

8)      For a team to be successful, the veterans need to be work ethic leaders and mentors.  That’s generally been the mo for the past and I believe the present.