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.