The men's tennis team takes a moment to visualize success on the courts. Photo by Karam Sethi.
It was a dreary Wednesday evening as I sat down for dinner with members of the men’s tennis team. They still carried their throw-over racket bags and continually wiped their foreheads with the sleeves and neckbands of their shirts. The team had just had a long fitness practice and everyone was excited to eat. As we devoured steamed veggies and engaged in friendly conversation, I could not help but notice one resoundingly apparent theme: this is a fun-loving group of guys who genuinely enjoy playing tennis together.
Although the squad has lost all four of their NESCAC matches this spring, they are determined to focus on the high points of their season and look toward the future. They have only lost one non-conference match and with four in-conference matches remaining, they’re confident that they will pick up ground in their hard-hitting league.
Throughout the offseason, the team focused on fitness and strength training in order to prepare for their tough schedule. “Coach had us working hard in the gym all winter and we can really feel the difference this spring,” said captain Trevor Prophet ’11. Head Coach Chris O’Brien is in his first full season with the team after taking over in the spring of last year. “Having a full year with Coach O’Brien has definitely helped us solidify our identity as a team. He has a better grasp of our strengths and weaknesses and that’s helped us develop as a tennis team,” added George King ’13.
The team got its first chance to display its offseason training over spring break when they travelled to Arizona for a ten-day, tennis-filled getaway. The team won all six of its matches over this time, including sweeps of Mesa Community College and Glendale Community College and a 7-2 victory over Division II opponent Grand Canyon University.
While they worked hard on the court, the team feels that the time spent together off the court was just as important to their competitive progression. Together with their coaches, the team went on hikes in the South Mountain Reserve, watched a Cactus League baseball game, shopped at malls, saw a scorpion and watched the 80s martial arts flick Bloodsport. “I liken our assistant coach Dan Schoenner to main character Frank Dux of Bloodsport. They have similar attitudes, personalities and fighting styles,” said King (affectionately referred to as “The Big Dog” by his teammates), followed by an eruption of laughter around the table.
Camaraderie is clearly a huge part of Camel tennis. “There’s nothing like a clean spring afternoon with the boys,” Prophet noted about his teammates. This chemistry has the members of the squad playing for one another on the court. “I really like the dudes on our team. They make me want to come to practice. I really enjoy hanging out with them. Life is good,” said King. With this enthusiasm, confidence and team spirit, look for the Camel men to make some noise in their remaining NESCAC contests.
The Camels take on Wesleyan University on April 21 in Middletown and Bates College on April 23 down on the South Tennis Courts. •
