BOWDOIN

One of the hardest things as an athlete and a coach is to play a 3rd place match early the next day after a brutal set of matches the day before. We started warming up against Bowdoin and we definitely looked a little tired. It's hard for me to gauge the how we are going to play based on a warm up, but I was definitely a little worried.

I should not have been worried because our guys came our firing. We swept the doubles and had a great performance at 2 doubles. Jackson and Rocco, played great and ended the road trip on a positive note.

We kept the momentum going in singles. Rud at 1, was locked in and won a convincing first set. At 2, Halpern was facing a very good player who won his ITA regional event in the fall. Halp played his best match of the trip and won in straight sets. We won the first sets at 4-6 singles. Rafe was in another tough match and dropped the first set 7-5.

We ended the match winning all the singles except 3. It was a good way to end the trip and go home with a win.

Highlights of the trip:

-Will's come from behind win against the Gustavus, after being down 6 match points.

- Rud and Wag's win against APU's nbr 1 team.

-  Rud's strong performance at 1 singles

-  Halps win against Trinka

-  Wag being solid at 5 getting us some much need wins

-  Nick's win against Bowdoin in a 3rd set breaker

-  Rocco and Jack's performance on the last day

-  Halp and Brandon's win at 3 doubles against Gustavus

-  Playing golf with Mr. Isaacs. I am glad he's on our team.

-  Watching the Bryan Brothers

Semi-finals match against Wash U

Our match began at 10:00am against Gustavus and ended at 1:30pm. We an hour and half to eat and get ready to play Wash U our rival and the number 1 team in the country. I was definitely concerned about our energy level considering the emotional match we just had and the number of 3 setters we just played. Wash U had to face the same deal as us, so excuses were not going to be acceptable.

Wash U was dominant at the Indoor tournament. They bullied there way through the draw so I was very curious to see how we would stack up against them.  Wash U, also looked really strong in doubles.

We got off to a really quick start in doubles getting up early breaks at 1 and 3 doubles. At 2, were on serve for most of the match. Unfortunately, we could not keep the momentum going and ended up losing, 8-5,8-6, and 8-5. It's weird because I knew we were right there with them in doubles and just as good. So, here we go again, down 3-0.

The character of our team was going to be tested again. Rud, Wag, and Will, came out firing winning the first sets. Rafe was in a battle at 3 singles losing a heart-breaking tiebreaker. Halpern lost the first set to a very good freshman, and Nick, also, dropped the first set to one of their best spots in the lineup. Rud, Wag, and Will, gave dominating performances to secure us 3 points. Unfortunately, we ran out of steam at 2 and 4 singles and Rafe lost in 3rd set breaker.

Coming into the match, Wash U was the number 1 ranked team in the country they looked really strong at indoors. They are a very good team, but we have the ability to hang with them. We just cannot go down 3-0, and in doubles, it comes down to basic stuff. You can use formations etc... but, if you don't get high percentage of 1st serves in play and make returns, it doesn't matter.

I was proud of the teams effort considering our grueling match with Gustavus. We competed against Wash U and it was good for us to get a chance to play them before UAA's.

STAG HEN

One of my thoughts throughout the course of the season was that we as a team were going to need to pull a close match. These types of matches if you come out on the winning side can help your team become closer and mentally tougher.

Gustavus, provided us with this opportunity. Our match was early in the morning and so it was imperative that we get off to a good start. Gustavus, historically, has been a team that always has strong doubles teams. After our outing against Azusa, I was feeling good about our doubles. Unfortunately, we got off to a very slow start.

Wag and Rud got down and early break and struggled to get back in the pro-set. Gustavus was also serving extremely well which didn't help. We ended up losing 8-5. At 2, we got down an early break as well and struggled to get the break back. We lost 8-6 at 2. Thankfully, Halp and Brandon, played great at 3 doubles and secured us a win. At this point, going into singles, I was confident that we would turn it up.

As the singles rolled out Gustavus would not give up to our singles lineup. We dropped the first sets at 2, 3, 5, and 6 singles. As I stated earlier, sometimes you need to be pushed to the brink, but, as a coach, this is not good for the heart.  Rud and Nick jumped on there guys and secured the first sets. Halp was in a battle against a very tricky player. Rafe couldn't find his rhythm at 3 singles, and Halp and Will, who have been very strong for us, were also struggling.

At one point in the match it looked very bleak. Mentally, you cannot let yourself go to that place of doom, easier said than done, but, champions fight to the very last point. Rud and Nick closed out their matches, but Rafe lost in straight set. The match was tied at 3all. We would need to get 2 out of the 3 remaining matches which at the time looked to be a very difficult challenge. Halp was struggling with his opponent at 2 and Wag was down a set and a break in the second. Will found himself down 5-4 in the 2nd set. Our comeback came with Will. Will survived 6 matches down 5-4 in the 2nd to get the ball rolling. It was an unbelievable comeback for him. Will displayed a mental toughness in that match that I will never forget.

Will amazing won the 2nd and Wag also fought back and won the 2nd set. Halpern found his rhythm in the 2nd set won 6-4. We had the momentum but we all know how quickly it can go back to the other team. Halpern gutted a 7-5 win in the 3rd and Wags and Will pulled through!

We need this type of match as team and more importantly, the time we put into our fitness at practice clearly paid off. I have to give Gustavus a ton of credit and we learned as a team, that you can never, never underestimate your opponent!

Spring Break Trip-recap

I apologize for falling behind with my match recaps. Our spring break trip is always one of the highlights of the year. Once again, we ventured out to LA for the Stag-Hen tournament held in Claremont, CA. One of the great highlights of the trip was taking the team out to Indian Wells. We were fortunate to watch the Bryan brothers play doubles.

Match #1: Azusa-Pacific

Every time we head to LA, we always play APU before we enter the Stag-Hen tournament. APU is always a very tough test for us, and since I have been here, we have only beaten them once. APU is currently the 10 ranked team in Division 2.
Since Indoors we made some lineup changes in doubles:
1. Ruderman/Wagner
2. English/Isaacs
3. Brandon Lee/Halpern

Rocco English and Brandon Lee were 2 new additions to our lineup. Rocco possesses the biggest serve on the team and Brandon is a natural doubles player with great instincts. Our hope was that this new lineup and the work we put in the last couple of weeks would give us a boost. (side note-Azusa match was our first outdoor match of the season, which has never happened, tells you crazy our weather has been this year in Atlanta)

We got off to a very good start in doubles. Wag and Rud won a big match playing against a very good team. We struggled a bit at 2 doubles, but we were in the match, unfortunately, we lost 8-6. Lee and Halpern played a great match at 3 doubles. It was the best doubles I had seen Halpern play since he's been here, and Brandon, was a rock. We were up 2-1 after doubles against a good team.

I knew going into singles we were going to have an uphill battle even with a 2-1 lead. We got off to a fairly good start. Wag, Nick, and Halp, each one their first sets. Rud, had a stern test a 1 singles and lost the first set. Rafe and Will both dropped the first sets at 3 and 5 singles. So, we needed to secure wins 2,4 and 5. As the match progressed, Rud, who has become a great competitor, won the 2nd set. Unfortunately, we dropped the 2nd sets at 2 and 4. Rafe and Will ended up losing, so now the match was tied 2-2.

Wagner played a great match and beat a very good player in straight sets. We had 3 matches left on the court playing the final set. Rud lost in 6-2 in the 3rd, but I was so proud of the way he competed after not being to find his rhythm in first set, he never gave in and battled the entire match. Halp was close to playing some of his best tennis but the heat and long points took their toll and he ended up losing 3 in the 3rd.  Nick battled the entire 3rd set and lost a heartbreaking match 7-5 in the 3rd.

A loss is a loss, but this was definitely the best match we played as a team.

INDOOR NATIONAL RESULTS

Division III tennis has gone through many changes over the years, but the move to the 9 point system has made the biggest impact on our game. At the start of each match, we send out 3 doubles for 3 points. Each match plays a proset, so generally, the fate of an entire match can be determined within 45 minutes. Being up 2-1 or down 1-2 is not overwhelmingly lead or deficit, but, to go down 3-0, against a good team, makes winning 5 out of the 6 singles matches a difficult task.

Johns Hopkins built a 3-0 lead in doubles. We had opportunity's in each match, but, Hopkins was better at each spot. They played more aggressive, served bigger, and played big on the important points.

The moral was definitely low, but, I also know that the character and leadership of this team would never allow our singles to pack it in facing a 3-0 deficit. Our match, was being played out on 3 courts, so, we sent out our top singles players. Ruderman, Mosetick, and Halpern.

Hopkins momentum in doubles carried through the singles as we dropped the first sets of each of the singles matches. At this point, the match looked like it would get out of hand, but then we started making our move. Ruderman, being down, a set, against a very talented and tricky freshman, showed the heart and resolve to find a way to pull out a 2nd set win. Halpern, lost a heart-breaking breaker in the first set, but, again, showed amazing courage, against a very talented player and pulled out a 2nd set win. Both Ruderman and Halpern, veterans, were able to secure their points by gutting a wins in the 3rd set. Halpern, battled cramps in third set, but, found a way to pull it out. The come back was beginning to take shape.

Szczurek, Wagner, and Adams, anchored our lineup at 4,5, and 6 singles. Nick, was playing another freshman, who on that day, looked like one of their better spots in Hopkins lineup.  He ran through Nick in the first, but Nick was able to find his rhythm in the 2nd, and more importantly, his composure allowed him to take the 2nd set. Meanwhile, Wagner, was overwhelming his guy, and Will won the first set at 6. It looked like we actually might pull out a miracle finish, but, Nick's opponent stepped his game up in the 3rd and secured Hopkins a win.

Losing is one of the worst feelings in life, period. As a team and group of individuals you always have a choice, you can sit there and feel sorry for yourself, point fingers, and go in the tank, or you can choose to get better. Thankfully, this team, decided to choose the latter. The next 2 matches would really define our group and set the course for the rest of the season.

Losing is painful in a tournament, but, what's also painful, is that you are relegated to difficult back draw starting times. Our match against Hopkins started at 2:30pm and didn;'t finish till around 9:30pmdidn't finish our team meeting and dinner until around 11:30pm. Our next match was schedule against a rival and nemesis, Kenyon  College, at 8:00am.

These matches are a coaches nightmare because you are playing in the back draw at 8:00am after a brutal match the night before. As a coach, you know that your team will still be carrying the emotional baggage from the previous match, there tired and beat up, and you are playing a good team. Thankfully, we found the energy, and our effort in doubles was much better. Halpern and Ruderman, rolled at 3 doubles to secure us a point. We lost at 1 doubles, which placed a great deal of pressure on Jackson and Nick, at 2 doubles. Jack and Nick, were playing well, but, Kenyon would not quit, and forced us into a breaker. Sometimes, you need to be taken the brink in order to boost the morale and confidence of the entire team. Jack and Nick, took their games to the next level, and secured us a critical win at 2 doubles, one of the biggest points of the match.

This time we were able to send out all 6 singles matches. Kenyon's top 3 singles players secured 1st set wins in each match, so our 2-1 lead, was not necessarily secure. Thankfully, Nick, Wags, and Will, came out and won their our first sets. At 1, Rud, was playing a very good player who has had a lot of success in D-3. Rud, fought and played hard, but Kenyon guy was able to secure the point. At 2, Kenyon, also to able to notch a straight set win. Halpern, at 3, battled back in the 2nd, and forced a 3 set with a player he lost to at the ITA National event in the fall. Wagner and Adams were in control of their matches and so it was going to come down to Halpern and Nick(4 singles). Nick, reminds of a boxer, who likes to get in the ring and just go toe to toe with his opponent. He's definitely not going to dance around the ring and avoid punches. His opponent was basically a mirror image of Nick. The points that these guys were playing was amazing and fun to watch. Nick, ended up losing a tight second set, so, with 2 matches on and in their final sets, we had a slim 4-3 lead. This is where mental toughness and character are formed in moments liked this, when the night before, you lose a close one, and now, you are faced with the same situation. Halpern, has come through for us on so many matches, but it wasn't his time, so, it came down, to Nick. Nick pulled out a huge match for us to secure us a win. Nick has matured so much over his 4 year career, and, I witnessed a young man in singles have complete emotional control on the court, and most importantly, he truly looked like he was enjoying the competition.

The win against Kenyon was incredibly important on so many different levels. It showed me that this team has heart and character and will rise to any challenge. Last night(Hopkins match), the top of our lineup, set the tone, against Kenyon, the bottom half of the lineup, pulled it out, with a the help of 1 and 3 doubles. Our match against Kenyon was done around 12pm. Our next match was against Redlands, at 5pm. We had 4 hours to eat lunch and physically recover. The thought of playing another good D-3 team in the same day was mentally exhausting, but, Redlands had to deal with the same scenario. What doesn't break you, makes you stronger.

We had not played Redlands in a few years, so, I had no idea about their lineup. One of the lessons that I continue to learn is that you should never ever take an opponent lightly, and using exhaustion as an excuse is unacceptable, considering our opponent is dealing with the same challenges. We came out extremely flat and found ourselves down 2-0 with number 1 dubs left on the court.  Our 1 doubles team had not won a match in the tournament, but thankfully, Rafe, lifted his level, and had his best performance. Their win at 1 was so important and gave us a little lift going into singles.

Halpern dominated his man at 3 singles and gave us a much needed boost. Rafe at 2 singles struggled over the weekend, but, too his credit, he never stopped competing, and was able to secure a win. The highlight of the match was Alex Ruderman. Alex dropped the first set against a very good player and look as though he was done. The Redlands guy went up 4-1 in the second, but Alex, who has shown uncanny resolve, kept fighting, and somehow, won the second set. Alex, in the 3rd, lifted his level  and won an unbelievable 3rd set match. Nick, Wag, and Will, picked up where they left off and got us another 3points, to help us sweep the singles.

As I stated before in the previous post, this tournament would be a litmus test to see where we are as a team. Losing is not fun, but, I would rather do it now, than at the end of the year. The key is to commit to fixing everything that is in our control and not to leave a stone unturned. Each player and coach needs to make personal commitment to make sure that we shore up our weaknesses. Obviously, when you win 3 out of 9 doubles matches, this area will become item number 1 on our agenda. 

Friday night, left everyone with a bad taste in their mouths, thankfully, the character of this team let it go and enabled us to finish the weekend with 2 wins.

ENJOY THE RIDE!

Four years of college tennis go by in the blink of an eye. I have had so many conversations with former players who tell me how much they miss competing and playing for the team. They miss the road trips with their teammates and playing in big matches.

The Indoor National Championship is one of the biggest events of our season. It's the first big test of the season and more importantly, it is the closet simulation of the NCAA tournament. Before every big match, we gather as a team and talk about the upcoming matches. Former Assistant Coach and future Hall of Famer, Mark Odgers, used to always tell the team to enjoy these special events because before you know it, your career will be over, and you will soon be sitting at a computer working 80 hours a week.

These events are pressure-packed emotional roller coasters, and the team that usually wins is the team that "loves the battle".  A college player, if they are lucky, will get to experience this event 4 times in their career. My message to our guys is to enjoy the ride and "don't battle the love", as former Coach Chris Redmond use to say all the time.

One of the themes this year that I have heard our players repeat is to have fun, and I truly feel like this will be a key to our success this season. Competition is fun, especially at events like the Indoor National Championship. Great competitors love a competitive grind and are able to handle the highs and lows of a championship with resiliency and grace.

There are over 300 in schools in Division III, and only 8 teams have been invited to this special event.  Relish every moment because before you know it, your 4 years will be up.

Enjoy the Ride!

SHORTER 9-0

One of the goals coming into this match was to come out with more energy in doubles, against AUM, we came out a little flat. Our boys were much pumped at the start of the match and it reflected in their play. Our doubles teams were sharp which enabled us to really control all 3 matches.

One of the bright spots in singles was our play at 4-6 singles. Szczurek, Wagner, and Adams, lost a combined 1 game in all 3 matches.

Our boys have been working extremely hard the past weeks, hopefully, it will pay off leading into ITA Indoor National Championship.

On to Indianopolis.

AUM LOSS/ OLGETHORPE WIN

The annual AUM match is always a great litmus test to get a feel for our teams potential level. The only time we have beaten AUM was in 2012, and that team went on to win a NCAA title. The lineup that we put out the courts was without a couple key players, but that did not deter the boys from playing hard.

The doubles started out very sluggish with the exception of 2 doubles. Nick and Jackson were ready to play and the level between the 2 teams was extremely high. At one point in the doubles, it looked like we might get swept. 3 doubles got down an early break and 1 doubles found themselves down 6-3. Jack and Nick battled and lost 8-5 to team that was playing extremely well. 3 doubles could never find their rhythm, resulting in us being down 2-0. Wagner and Mosetick gutted out a win in a breaker to give us a big win.

I knew we had a chance in singles, but against AUM it would take a mammoth effort. The boys almost pulled it out. We got down 4-1 and then the boys turned it around. Nick had a huge win at 3 singles against a very good player in 3 sets. I was extremely proud of how he maintained his poise throughout the match. One of the main highlights of the day was Alex Ruderman making his debut at number 1 singles. Alex was going against an international player who finished the year ranked number 4 nationally in the NAIA. Alex has been extremely focused during our practices and his effort paid off with a dramatic 3rd set win over one of the best players he will face this year. I was extremely proud of his effort but also his resiliencey. There many times in the match where he could have cried uncle, but he didnt, and kept fighting the entire way through. We split the final two matches in dramatic fashion to lose 5-4. 

It was a good start to the season. There was a lot of positives to take away and also some areas that we as team will address which will make us even better come May.

Olgethorpe has come a long wway over the years. Coach Howell has done a wonderful job resurrecting the program. They have become much more competitive and with his leadership will continue to improve over the next few years. Our boys were a little tired after the long battle with AUM, but they sucked it up, and got us our first win of the season. It was nice to see Brandon Lee and Lucas Lund, notch their first wins of the season.

Next up Shorter.

FINALLY!

Our 2014 campaign begins today with a double header against AUM and Olgethorpe. I didn't think February 14,  would ever get here, but, finally, we are ready to go. I was always look at tennis seasons as a marathon as a opposed to a sprint.

The first mile of the marathon began on January 26, 2014. The first two weeks of practice are very similar to a military boot camp. Our players go through intense practices, grinding conditioning sessions, and pressure filled challenge matches. The goal of the first two weeks is to lay the foundation for the season. I have had years where the start of the season is shaky at best, but this group of young men have really gotten off to a great start. They have embraced the challenge and are ready to go!

Keys to the season 2014:

1. Health: One of the challenges every year is to avoid anyone going to down with Mono. Halpern missed significant action last year because of mono. As of now we have a few guys sick with a nasty cold virus running around campus, but generally, we are good to go.

2. Doubles: Every year we talk about how critical it is to get off to a good start in doubles. Our doubles lineup has a great deal of experience and hopefully we will be able to off-set the loss Elliot Kahler. We will be with out Ayush Bajoria and Simon Lavoie Perusse for the first few matches, but we have nice depth and players that are ready to step up.

3.  Patience: As I stated before, it's a marathon not a sprint. Tennis seasons always have highs and lows, the team that manages this inevitably, usually will end up hoisting the trophy. This could arguably one of the most challenging schedules I have put together,  but this group is mentally tough and our goal is not to peak in March, but rather the first day of NCAA's.

4. Chemistry: One of the most underrated components to a successful season. It's very hard to define but everyone knows when it's on and when it's not right. Chemistry doesn't mean that everyone has to love each other, it means we all have to know our roles and pull together in the same direction. When individual goals become secondary to the team goals then you have potential magic. Our team captains have done a really nice job so far of making this a priority.

Well it's about time to get is started!! It should be an exciting year and I hope you follow along our journey.

EMORY ASSISTANT COACHES

I was Salisbury State University for 5 years before I came to Emory and during that time, I coached the men's and women's teams, taught 5 PE classes, and ran an indoor facility. I had 1 part-time assistant coach who help out with the teams. Needless to say, it was very difficult to really make an impact with all the players we had to manage. This is the nature of Division III tennis. Coaches have to wear many hats besides coaching their team.

I feel so blessed to have 3 assistant coaches that are working with our team this year. This is absolutely unheard of in Division III let alone most Division I schools. Our players do not realize how lucky they are to have this type of attention showered on them. I would not be able to have this gift if it wasn't for the amount of sacrifice our assistant coaches are making to help improve our team.

The amount of time they have committed to the team has truly been amazing and unselfish. They have sacrificed their income to better our tennis program. I owe a great deal to Chris Goodwin, Dillon Pottish, and Pete Townes. I feel great indebted to these guys and have enjoyed working with them these past few months. Thank you.

Chris Goodwin:
Chris is entering his 2nd year as an assistant coach. One of the hardest things for a young coach is the transition from being a player to an assistant, especially when most of the guys on the team were teammates the year before. Chris has made a dramatic improvement from last season and is truly becoming a great coach. Chris is my voice of reason and helps me stay even-kiel which is not an easy thing to do. The players love Chris and feel very comfortable going to him with issues etc... I am so proud of his development as an assistant and hope he stays here forever.

Dillon Pottish:
Dillon tried playing futures when he graduated with Chris in 2012. Dillon had some big wins during that year, but, thankfully for the program, he decided to stop playing and became an assistant coach. One of my joys of having my players become my assistants is that I get to know them on a different level. Dillon is such a great person and makes me laugh on daily basis. Dillon will go down as one the greatest Division III tennis players of all time. This feat was accomplished because of his work ethic. He outworked everybody and this is what he brings as an assistant. He knows what it takes to be great.

Pete Townes:
I met Pete this past summer while he was working my NIKE tennis camp. I realized instantly how good of a coach he was because of in-depth knowledge and work ethic on the court. Pete's coaching as a junior coaching record is remarkable, and, he also guided his son to a top 50 national junior ranking. Pete has made a huge financial sacrifice to work with all of our guys. One of Pete's biggest strength's is that he not afraid to push our players and hold them accountable, which obviously, makes my job much easier.

I am indebted to these guys and appreciate all of there hard work.

SENIOR CLASS

I have a great deal of respect for players that are able to make it through 4 years of our program. Playing 4 years of Emory tennis requires a lot of hard work and committment, and mostly importantly, the ability to be resilient. There are so many ups and downs that college players need to endure over 4 years of their college career. These 4 seniors have exemplified mental toughness, courage, and most importantly, placing the team above all else. Thank you: Ayush, Jackson, Simon, and Nick for all you have done for Emory tennis!

Ayush Bajoria: Kolkata, India

Ayush has argubaly been one of the best doubles that I have coached. Ayush is incredibly athletic and has natural feel for the game. Ayush has great hands and the ability to make whoever he's playing with better. Ayush has been a great team player over the last 4 years and I look forward to his continued success this season.

Jackson Isaacs: Malibu, CA

Jackson is one of the most mentally tough kids I have ever coached. Jackson has endured a great deal in his life. Any person who can over come open heart surgery and surpass all expecatations deserves a great deal of respect. Jackson has become the leader of this team. I am so proud of the man that Jackson has become and look forward to watching him lead this team.

Simon Lavoie Perusse: Quebec, Canada

Simon has one of the best all court games on this team. Simon has been an absolute joy for me these past 4 years. Simon is a great young man who has proven to be one of the pillars of our program. Simon is a coaches dream because he comes to practice everyday with the same even kiel temper. He is the eye in the storm.

Nicholas Szczurek: Lemont, ILL

It's taken me 4 years to be able to spell Nick's last name.  I love watching kids mature over their 4 year career. I still remember Nick's recruiting trip, he looked like he was 12 years old. Nick has grown up to be a great young man. I am so proud of who Nick is as a person. Nick is also one of the more talented players on our team and has the potential to do so some damage this season!