Forever Family

One of the highlights of our year is when we are able to give back. This is the second time we have worked with Forever Family, a non-profit organization, that works with young kids who's parents have been incarcerated. Chris Goodwin, my assistant coach, and former NCAA singles and team champion, has spent a great deal of time working with this organization on his off time. So, Chris was instrumental in setting up a tennis clinic for these young kids. It was so much fun for me to watch our guys put smiles on there faces. We look forward to our next outing with Forever Family!!

Mr. & Mrs. Tyson Ramsay

One of the best parts of my job is watching my players grow up. Tyson Ramsay, was a member of the 2003 NCAA Championship team. Tyson was a top nationally ranked player who had little bit of a wild streak. Needless to say, our first semester together was a little rocky. I will never forget watching Tyson's first challenge match in the fall semester of his freshman year. Tyson won the 1st set easily and then in the 2nd set his teammate started coming back and so Tyson decided to tank, at that point, I decided to teach the freshman a lesson, so I kicked him out of practice. The next day I received a long email from Tyson telling me how mad he was at me for kicking him out of practice. Normally, I would be really upset to get an email like that, but I actually couldn't stop laughing, and somehow we managed to make it through the fall.

I have two 19 year old boys, so I know from experience, the journey is not always smooth, but, what always bring me back is when they take responsibility and own up too there mistakes. This was Tyson's gift to me. I have had players in the past who really never understood this concept and too me this is one of keys to being successful  in life. My respect and love for Tyson really grew over his 4 year career and I am so very proud of what he's accomplished after his time at Emory.

The most important thing that happened to Tyson at Emory was not the tennis team, rather, meeting his future beautiful wife. Tyson and Rachael were married this past June in Palm Springs. This event was the highlight of my summer because Rachael actually said yes, and, it turned out to be an alumni event. Tyson's teammates made the effort to witness and support him through the most important event in his life. Yoji Masuoka, a member of the 2006 NCAA championship team, flew all the way from Tokyo to be at his side.

This event just reminded met that wins and losses come and go, but the bonds that Emory tennis fosters are everlasting. Tyson has come a long way since that fall semester of his freshman year and watching him grow up makes the struggle all worth the while. Tyson is currently doing his residency at the University of Toledo in emergency medicine.

ERIC HALPERN DEFEATS RAFE MOSETICK IN THE FINAL OF ITA REGIONAL TOURNAMENT TO EARN HIS 1ST TITLE

Eric Halpern, junior, won his first ITA singles title and for his effort, he was awarded his 2nd All-American honor. The ITA regional tournament is a 3 day grind fest. Eric, had to play a total of 6 singles matches, and, because he reached the doubles final with partner, Simon Lavoie-Perusse(Senior Captain), his total match count for 3 days was 11 matches.

Eric, was one of the key reasons our team won an NCAA title 2012. During that tournament he displayed an amazing level of mental toughnesss which was evident on the last day of the ITA tournament. One of the absolute worst parts of my job is having to watch teammates play each other. It's like watching your own kids beat each other up. It's a no win situation because there's alway someone who comes out completely disappointed at the conclusion of the match. The first semi-final match featured Eric vs. Ian Wagner(junior), who was also one the key reasons we won an NCAA title. Ian, is an incredibly talented player that has been an absolute rock in our lineup, and he is also our first NCAA doubles champion. Eric's mental toughness came through and enabled him to win a emotional 3rd set win.

The other semi-final match featured Robert Kjellberg, the number 1 player in the country. Kjellberg, has owned our team the past 3 years. He's an incredibly talented player from North Carolina Wesleyan and very difficult to beat. Kjellberg, was matched up with Emory sophomore, Rafe Mosetick. Rafe is one of the hardest working players that I have the fortune of coaching. I remember last year I was teaching a clinic, it was close to 10pm at night and Rafe was hitting a basket of serves by himself. It's this type of consistent commitment that has enabled him to take his game to the next level. Rafe, played one of the matches of the tournament, dominating Kjellberg 6-3,6-1. It was one of the most dominating performances I have seen.

Once again, most coaches would be happy to see 2 of their players fighting for the title, and I was very proud to have Emory players in the finals, but, I really cannot stand watching them beat each other up. Rafe jumped out to an early lead winning the first set and continuing his high level of play. Eric, survived a tough 3 set semi-final match, so I knew he had to be a little tired, but you can never under-estimate his toughness. The second set was very close, and more importantly, the level was extremely high. Rafe did not lose the second set, Eric won it. Eric saved his best tennis for the 2nd set. Going into the 3rd set, Rafe began to cramp, and Eric, kept the pressure on winning his first title. I know this has been one Eric's goals and the amount of work he put into the summer paid off huge dividends.

An hour later, the finals of doubles was ready to go on. Eric had just played 6 sets of tennis and was now scheduled to play the finals against an North Carolina Wesleyan team. One of the biggest surprises was the play of Simon Lavoie Perusse, senior. Simon was instrumental in getting his team to the finals. The NCW team was too good defeating Halpern/Lavoie-Perusse. Fatigue definitely played a factor in this outcome and I know that Eric felt bad for Simon, but honestly, he gave it his all
there was not much left in his tank.

Tyler Gadbois, junior, reached the finals of the B-singles draw losing to an NCW player. It's not easy being asked to play in the b-draw, but I was proud of Tyler's attitude and the way he conducted himself on the court, it speaks volumes to his character.

2013 Fall Alumni Event

One of my goals the past couple of years has been to reach out to our alum's in the hopes that they can re-connect with our current program. Coach Schroer is the architect of Emory tennis and we have all greatly benefited from his vision and dedication to making this the premier program in the country. Personally, I cannot express how grateful I am to Coach for all he has done for my family, I will never be able to repay him for his kindness, and my only hope, is that I continue to protect his legacy.

One of my goals with the alumni event was for our current players to realize how lucky they are to be a part of Emory tennis. Coach Schroer and our alums have paved the way for our current players and I wanted to them to get a better understanding of all of there accomplishments. The rich history and accomplishment of our alums is truly remarkable and we owe a debt of gratitude for allowing us to be a part of this program. It is a privilege not a right to be a member of this fraternity.

Our fall event could not have taken place without the effort of Jed Weinstein, Todd Getz, and Angie Duprey. I cannot thank you guys enough for reaching out to your teammates and encouraging them to take part at this event. My favorite memory of the weekend was on Friday night when the alums came over to my house for dinner. After dinner, we all went around and spoke about the impact Emory tennis has made in our lives. After listening to everyone's stories and insight, it just reaffirmed to me how lucky I am to be a part of this wonderful tradition.

One of the messages expressed at my house was for our current players to "pay it forward".  A year ago, Jed Weinstein, was instrumental in helping a Jackson Isaacs,a current player,  land an internship with Goldman Sachs. Jackson, worked this past summer as intern, and because of his hard work, was offered a job with them when he graduates. None of this could have been possible without the help of Jed, so now, Jackson, realizes that he will have to pay it forward when he graduates, and help a current player.

My main goal over the next few years is continue to grow our alumni events. I want everyone to feel a a sincere connection to our program and to realize that we are all a part of a very special family. Thanks so much to everyone for their continued support and I hope to meet everyone in the near future.

2013-2014 TEAM CAPTAINS

Senior:  Jackson Isaacs

Jackson embodies all that is great with Emory tennis. Jackson did not play his first two years, and instead of quitting, like many players have done, Jackson continued to work hard and made a statement in junior year. Jackson and Nicolas Szczurek, won the fall ITA tournament which earned both of them All-American honors.  Jackson was one of the pillars of our 2013 season.  Jackson set the tone each match and became one of our best competitors.  I have been coaching for over 25 years and I can honestly say that Jackson is one of the hardest working players that I have ever had. Jackson has also done an amazing job leading a very young team this fall and continues to place the team as his number 1 priority.

Senior: Ayush Bajoria
We have had a lot great players pass through this program. I would consider Ayush to be one top 5 doubles players
among all former and current Emory players. Ayush is an extremely talented player with an amazing feel and understanding of how to play doubles.  Ayush, as a freshman, played at the number 2 doubles spot, where his team reached the NCAA finals.  One of the best parts of my job is watching these players grow up over the course of their time at Emory. I am so very proud of the person Ayush has become while he's been in our program, like Jackson, Ayush always places the team first.

Senior: Simon Lavoie Perusse
Simon was also apart of the team that reached the NCAA finals. Simon played number 5 singles during this run. I have always considered Simon as the glue that keeps this team together. Simon is one of those people that everyone loves and feels comfortable around. Simon is a coaches dream because he comes to practice everyday with the same even keel attitude. Simon is also a very gifted tennis player and I am so proud of his improvement in doubles. Simon had an amazing fall ITA tournament reaching the finals of doubles and quarter's of singles.

Senior: Nicolas Szureck
Nicolas burst on to the D-3 scene during our Spring ITA National Indoor tournament his freshman year.  The opposing coaches had no idea who Nick was, but we all had watched him the fall and could not believe how hard he hit the ball considering he looked like he was 10 years old. One of my fondest memories was watching the opposing coaches look in awe as Nick was ripping winners all over the place. Nick played number 4 singles on the run to the NCAA finals and was considered one of the best shot makers on our team. Nick did not play doubles during his first 2 years, but had an amazing fall ITA tournament during his junior earning All-American honors.  I have also really enjoyed watching Nick grow up over the last 3 years, and like Simon,  players gravitate to Nick because of attidude.

Emory Men's Tennis Blog is Back

I started this blog in 2012 to keep all alums and current players connected to Emory tennis.  2012 was such a magical season in many ways. I am not sure why I didn't continue this blog in 2013, but to those that follow, I sincerely apologize and will make an effort to continue it for the 2014 season.

Winning 2 out the 3 NCAA championships and going undefeated was obviously incredibly gratifying, but what made that year special was the group of young men that represented Emory University.

The 2013 team carried the burden of the past years accomplishments and also the loss of 4 significant members of the 2012 team. The 2013 season was definitely a struggle and it was also one of our lower finishes, but in some ways, it was equally gratifying. Chemistry can either make or break your season and this was an element that we struggled with for 2/3 of the year. One of my most proud moments coaching was at our UAA championship. Our team played Washington University in the finals. This was the match that our team became a team and even though we lost 5-4, watching all the members of our team support each other through this epic match made the process all worth the while.

We ended up losing to Amherst in the NCAA quarter-finals in a gut-wrenching match. It was not the ending we had anticipated, but the experience was really valuable because it enabled our younger players to get some experience, and hopefully, it will pay off next May.

Eric Halpern was our lone singles representative. Eric, had the unenviable job of taking over the number 1 spot in our lineup. Dillon Pottish, our number 1 player in 2012, made it virtually impossible for anyone to fill his shoes. Eric, is a very tough kid and assumed the mantle with pride and confidence. Eric's year began in grand fashion. Eric, had an amazing Indoor National tournament, taking down 3 players ranked in the top 3 and also beating the number 1 ranked player in the country. Unfortunately, Eric, came down with Mono on our spring break trip to LA. This was a devastating loss for both him and our team. I have had 3 players with mono since I have been at Emory, and it's almost impossible to come back. Eric, being a tough kid, finally made it in to our lineup in time for UAA's. Unfortunately, he still was not at a 100% and tried the best he could. Eric lost in the first of  round of the NCAA's to a very good player. I know it's not how he wanted to end his season, but the fact that he was even able to play was testimony to his strength.

The year ended with our first NCAA doubles championship. Elliot Kahler(senior captain) and Ian Wagner(junior) finally got us a title that has eluded this program for over 30 years. EK and Wags have always been one of our most talented teams, and in the first half of the season, they were on fire. The second half of the season was not as good and so going into NCAA doubles tournament, they were unseeded.

One of the hardest things in college tennis is to bounce back from a NCAA team loss and have to compete in the individual tournament. It's not easy shaking this pain and getting yourself mentally ready to compete. EK and Wag's most difficult match in the tournament was against Case Western in the first round. Down a set and break, the boys managed to mentally get it together and pulled off a dramatic come-back win. The next match was also dramatic.  We dropped the first set against UT Tyler 6-0, and at this point, it look bleak, but, EK and Wags, dug in, and from that point on, till the finals,  did not get broken on any of their service games. It was an amazing accomplishment and validated to everyone that they made a big mistake not seeding this team. I was so happy for them because they are 2 young men who do things the right way. It was nice to see the good guys finish first.

 

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.