Good Bye 2010......Hello, 2011!

Late December Sunset alongside Interstate 10 in West Texas

Tonight we say good-bye to 2010 and hello to a New Year, 2011. An opportunity to look back at the accomplishments of 2010 and forward to the hopes of 2011.

2010

Kohawk Tennis sent four seniors out into the "real" world. Matei Dima, Megan Fiala, Greg Janssen, and Andrea Schupbach. Great people. We expect great things from each.

On court, both Teams enjoyed winning records again, finished 2nd in Conference, produced Individual Conference Champions (Greg Janssen singles, Tai Lucero singles, Tai & Michelle Schupbach doubles), Two IIAC MVP's (Greg & Tai) and were rewarded with Intercollegiate Tennis Association Rankings in the singles, doubles and Team categories.

Longtime Assistant Coach Mark Murphy began a new phase of his career when he became the Head Women's Tennis Coach at Kalamazoo College in January.

The Kohawks welcomed in two new Assistants, Kris Diehl (former Northern Illinois standout) in January, and Rob Rye (Whitman College player, Chapman University Asst Coach) in August.

Coach Kris earned 3 Silver Balls, One Bronze, and one 4th place finish in her first two USTA National Tournaments.

Coach Rodgers wrapped up 15 years of serving on the ITA Ranking Committee by serving as the NCAA National Chair for DIII Men's Tennis.

2011

One never knows what the next 12 months will bring but there are a few things I can guarantee for Kohawk Tennis.

....We will compete for Conference Individual & Team titles as well as ITA/NCAA Rankings

....Each & Every Individual will improve their tennis games while having a good time doing so.

....Our Spring Break Trip to Florida will be loads of fun for the players and exhausting for the coaches!

....On May 8th Kohawk Tennis will graduate some more irreplaceable and outstanding individuals (Natalie Bordignon, Prateek Haralalka, Hannah Jensen, Elliot Rausa, & Scott Stegemann)

....On August 29th Kohawk Tennis will welcome in the Class of 2015. A select group that will continue and expand on the accomplishments of those that have come before them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Holiday Greetings from the College....

Simply wanted to share a link with all of you to the greeting card / video that the College sent out this Holiday season:

Coe College Holiday Card

Here is a direct link to the holiday video if you can't access it from the card:

Coe College Holiday Video

Lastly, a picture of Emmie for you. She got a balance bike (no pedals) from Santa....the idea is that children use their feet to gain momentum and then pick up their feet to coast once they have mastered balance. Essentially negates the need for training wheels when transition to an actual bike. Appears that Emmie mastered Mom (and my willingness to push her) before balance, huh? Note the Coe Tennis stocking cap as well...

Holiday Break

From the warmth of the lobby in the Clark Racquet Center peering out at the icicle laden remains of an early morning fog.

Although Coe College is shut down for the Holiday Break until January 5th, plenty of action in the Racquet Center as local students, professors, and alums work off the Holiday Dinners. And, away from campus, from as far away as Orel, Russia, 29 Kohawk Tennis Team members are undergoing their daily fitness routines so that they will all be prepared for the rigors and physical demands of the upcoming seasons. Men get underway in four weeks, the Women in seven weeks.

The End of the Path....

At the end of the Canyon, a more blissful stroll along the Rio Grande!

My intangible hopes for the Spring Tennis seasons.

#1--The Kohawks are physically prepared for easy or difficult challenges.
#2--That all of us enjoy the process of preparation.
#3--That all of us take the time to savor competitive challenges.

Journeys......

As most of you know, I recently spent a few days wandering around trails in Big Bend National Park. Once or twice a year, I try to get away for some "me" time, to unwind, to ponder, to plan out the upcoming months, establish goals, and courses of action. Hidden within the photo above is a trail I traveled descending some 800' to the Rio Grande River. One of the toughest non-rope descents I have ever made.

As a Tennis Player we all make Journeys too. Some easy, some difficult. Often times Tennis Players focus on results, a win or a loss, rather than the process. Easy to do. Our society is incredible in its interest in the final score. In a tennis match we cannot control the final score. What we can do is control our effort on each point, keeping our emotions positive and under control, pitting our skills against an opponent's until an outcome is reached. No matter how uncomfortable we might become.

As I wandered down that canyon, falling occasionally, slipping constantly, I thought about being done with the descent, of being on a more comfortable path. Subconsciously I realized that I had better pay attention and concentrate on getting down the canyon, rather than being comfortable, because if I didn't, I could well finish this journey with a broken bone. Or two!

More pictures from Big Bend....

Update from Big Bend

Coach Rodgers hiked the Marufo Vega Loop Trail yesterday - a 12-14 mile treacherous, true backcountry experience!

Believe Coach planned a desert hike today (flat!) after yesterday's adventure. Picture from this morning:

Back on Court!

Took a couple days off following National's, but am back on court! Perhaps in prep for Les Grandes Dames? Spent some time assessing my weaknesses, and am in the process of formulating a plan to remedy.

Off court, and as stated in one of my previous posts, my fitness level could have been higher down in Ft. Lauderdale. I am actually quite fit, but need to be fitter to compete at that level. Plus, FITNESS is one of the core principles of the Coe Tennis Program....can't hurt to lead by example! Thinking I may par down the 60 day Insanity program to 5 weeks, with "maintenance" workouts the week of the tournament. This past Spring, I tackled the full 60 day Insanity program, and found myself in the best shape of my life upon completion.

On court, I need to improve my mid-court game. This was very evident in my 3 set match against Chuck Lampe yesterday! Also, both Coach and I have been working on our footwork / recovery footwork......recovering to or near the baseline when hitting rally groundstrokes; which should allow me to best take advantage of the short ball (once my mid-court game improves of course!). The Spaniards do this with ease, which is why we have incorporated some Spanish training drills into team practices. There are certainly other weaknesses in my game, but focusing on the above two will be most advantageous to me in the near term, and in prep for another clay tournament.

On campus, most of the students have completed finals and are more than ready for Break! Coach Rob is on a plane back to CA and Coach Rodgers is somewhere in Big Bend National Park (TX) at the moment.....probably recovering from a 15 mile hike! The Racquet Center will be fairly quiet over the course of the next month. The 3 coaches will utilize the time to prep for the Spring season.....practice planning, player development assessment, etc.

How about the Class of 2009?

The Kohawk Tennis Class of 2009 had four prominent members. What are they up to today two years after graduation?

Susan Gilmer- was a four year singles standout for the Kohawks finishing 10th all-time in career singles victories. She won an incredible 4 hour singles match in the Spring 2008 AQ Event to put Coe into the NCAA Tournament. She was a stellar student at Coe, helping to keep the Team GPA high. Currently she is employed as an Accountant for Ernst & Young in Des Moines, Iowa. She is engaged and planning a Fall Wedding!

Sam Zerbib-was a prolific doubles player for Coe, playing all four years at #1 doubles. One of the all-time "nice guys", Sam teamed with Elliot Rausa in 2009 to post a 25-4 mark at #1D, 3rd best season ever for Coe and they were the alternate selection for the NCAA Championships for the Central Region. A graduate of the renowned Coe Physics Program, Sam will finish his Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northern Arizona University this coming Spring.

Molly Fiala-holds every record for Women's Tennis at Coe. She was both a singles and doubles All-American, won the ITA Regional in singles & doubles, and was a 4 time Iowa Conference MVP. Molly completed her Nursing Degree and passed her RN exams this summer and is employed at Mercy Hospital here in Cedar Rapids. She is also engaged and planning a Fall Wedding!

Joey Lankelma-Finished his career tied for 12th on the All-Time Men's Career Wins list. Joey played all over the lineup from #1 to #6, and was well-known for the length of his singles matches. A tenacious competitor who would hit balls in the court forever! Joey finished his Student Teaching in the Fall of 2009, and was immediately hired as a Teacher in the Davenport, Iowa school system where he also serves as the Boy's Tennis Coach.

WINTER is why we have THESE!

At Coe College, Winter NEVER gets in the way of a quality session on REAL Tennis Courts!

The Indoor Courts in the Clark Racquet Center are located no more than 400 meters from any dorm on the Coe College campus!

WINTER HAPPENS!

In most of the country Winter Happens! The Outdoor Courts are pictured after the 1st Winter Storm of the year hit last night. Yes, that is a sheet of ice on the North side of all six courts!

CLASS of 2010?

Andrea Schupbach, Greg Janssen & Megan Fiala....Coe College's Tennis Class of 2010. And where are they now, one semester after graduating?

Andrea Schupbach--Andi is an Admissions Counselor here at Coe College with recruiting responsibilities for Western Iowa, the Dakota's and the Eastern United States. When not on the road traveling, she can be seen daily in the Racquet Center either on the tennis courts, or burning up the treadmill with her country music blaring away! Andi finished her tennis career as #2 on the all-time wins list and received All-American honors in doubles in 2009.

Greg Janssen--Greg is the Assistant M & W Tennis Coach at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine where he works for highly respected Head Coach Paul Gastonguay. Greg and his grandfather just earned another "silver" in the USTA Grandfather/Grandson National Hardcourts in La Jolla, California. In typical Greg fashion, he assures us that his Bates team will be going to California next May for the NCAA D3 Championships. Greg finished his playing career as 6th on the all-time wins list and was named the MVP of the Iowa Conference in 2010.

Megan Fiala--Megan is a Sales Account Representative for Northwestern Mutual Life here in Cedar Rapids. Megan can be found almost daily at some point here in the Racquet Center wearing out the elliptical machine, or knocking some tennis balls around the court with her sister, Molly. Megan finished her career 4th on the all-time doubles wins list and 9th in combined singles & doubles wins.

HOLIDAY PARTY

Pictures from the Holiday Party above.....with the players in their new Coe College Tennis swag (holiday gifts from the program)! Coach Rob and I spent much of Sunday prepping food for the party - BBQ beef sandwiches, Rob's cajun bean soup, various sides and desserts (including my Aunt Christy's "Best Sugar Cookies") were served. The party was certainly a lot of fun!

The Fall Sports Banquet followed our Holiday Party. With the women's conference season taking place in the Fall, our ladies collected many awards. Recognition for all conference, academic all conference and Conference MVP (first year Tai Lucero) was received. Coach Rodgers addressed the upcoming Spring season in his speech as well.....Tai Lucero is currently ranked #10 in the Central region, and Hannah Jensen #11....the top 8 qualify for Nationals in CA this Spring and we (as a coaching staff and program) know that is attainable, and would really like to be in attendance!

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Lastly, 30's NATIONAL TOURNAMENT UPDATE:

Inoue beat Riddell in the final 6-3, 6-1. I really would have liked to see Trish win that match (Trish and I played doubles together in New York this past summer). However, the score and victor does make me feel a bit better about the outcome of my match against Inoue.

Also, meant to thank Patty and the members of the Lauderdale Tennis Club for a well run and enjoyable tournament. Need to personally thank Bob (one of the members) for wearing his Iowa Wrestling t-shirt for me 3 days in a row - I'll bring you a Kohawk Tennis t-shirt for next year.....and I expect to collect on the drink that you owe me as well, even if only a lemonade! Finally, a hello to Pam - member of the club, born and raised Iowan and fellow City High graduate!

Tournament Recap

Apologies for the delayed post. I know all of you are waiting on edge for updates, right? Unfortunately, the tournament did not pan out as planned. I batted 0-3 yesterday.

Dropped the singles semi in the morning (6-1, 6-0) to an opponent that proved to be much tougher than anticipated. Inoue simply did not miss.....EVER! Based on that fact, and an admitted mentality going into the match that she was better than I, believe I gave up on grinding from the baseline too soon in the match. Tried playing more of an attack game to counter, yet that aspect of my game simply is not ready (yet!) for that level of play. Had a I stuck a few more set-up volleys, I suppose the score would have been respectable. Overall, she broke me down mentally and physically....too soon in the match....and much too easily in my opinion. Live and learn!

Following that performance (or lack thereof), lost the mixed final. Neither my partner or I played up to par. Thus, I partially retract my statement that anything short of a Gold Ball was on me.....yet, still take my fair share of the blame. Mentally, I was still struggling after receiving my beat-down in the morning and BJ alluded to his lack of recent competitive play. On the other hand, our opponents stepped up.....played very fundamental, smart doubles and their DESIRE to win was very obvious. Congratulations to my doubles partner on receiving her first Gold Ball!

The doubles final also proved difficult....against the #1 seed (Riddell and Dailey). We lost 6-1, 7-6(4).....definitely had our opportunities in the second to split, but their matchplay experience prevailed.

Rough day for me! Big picture remains promising though. Room for improvement and will continue to do so. Still seeking my first Gold Ball. Currently have 3 Silvers, 1 Bronze and a 4th place trophy (defaulted the 3/4 match so that I could catch my plane last night) at the National level. Feel like Phil Mickelson for much of his career and prior to 2004....always 2nd! Nonetheless, have an increased appreciation for those with multiple Gold Balls.....Riddell acquired her 14th after beating my partner and I in doubles yesterday (and perhaps will have #15 shortly if she fares better than I against Inoue), Ginnard has 30+ and Dodo Cheney holds 266!

Immediately departed for the airport following my matches. Caught my flight. Arrived in Chicago late last night and drove through a snow storm on our way back to Iowa. Given my rushed departure, was still in tennis attire upon arriving home. It is not too often one tracks SNOW and CLAY into the house at the same time. Glad to be home and looking forward to the Holiday Party we have scheduled for the teams this Monday!

Thanks to all for their support in my endeavour to acquire a Gold Ball.....especially my family and Coach Rodgers!

Semi-Finals!

Started with doubles at noon and it was quite a match! I served to start the match and was immediately broken (good start, huh?). We were close to being down 0-3, but my partner fought off some tough returns and game points to keep us in the set. Won the first 7-5; dropped the second set 6-3. Started strong in the 3rd and quickly went up 4-1. Unfortunately, we let them back in the match.....my partner was broken at 4-2, and I at 5-3. With the crowd behind them (Ginnard is one of the pros at Lauderdale Tennis Club), our opponents took the lead 6-5, 40-15 in the game. We fought off the two match points, and a third ad point in their favor, before eventually taking the game. I had a stab volley that trickled over the net on one of those match points.....those that know me well understand that luck is usually on my side! Although, my Dad always says, "You create your own luck." Perhaps my hours on the court with Coach drilling low volleys at me paid off? OK....back to the match. Quickly down 0-3 in the 3rd set breaker, but continue to fight and end up winning the breaker 7-4 to take the match. Several momentum swings throughout the match; great doubles all around! Props to my doubles partner (Ioulia Bolotova) and our opponents for putting on a great show!

Despite the long match, I was ready and fired up for mixed doubles. Took a short break while the court was being swept, brushed and watered down. I have to admit it is pretty cool to step onto a freshly swept clay court. Everyone held serve the first 7 games and the quality of doubles was very high! We got the break at 4-3 and cruised from there......6-3, 6-1.

Again, was ready to play singles! Unfortunately, the singles semi's were moved to tomorrow at the request of others. I have a flight out Friday evening, but doubt I will make it since the Singles Final and/or 3/4 match is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Tomorrow's schedule of play:

Singles Semi - 10 am

Mixed Final - 2 pm

Doubles Final - 4 pm

Florida - Quarterfinal Action

Pictured with my mixed partner (BJ Munroe) above.

Given the weather back home, feel guilty stating the following, but the weather definitely could have been better today! The wind picked up immediately prior to the start of 12:30 matches requiring a bit of adjustment on the court. Cold front came in mid-afternoon as well. Nonetheless, 3 wins! Semi-final action in all 3 events tomorrow:

Women's Doubles - 12 pm

Mixed Doubles - 1:45 pm

Singles - 4 pm

Playing Mami Inoue (Bradenton, FL) in the singles semi. Inoue is solid on both sides, moves extremely well and is currently ranked #479 on the WTA Tour. Looking forward to testing myself against such a quality opponent.

Will be competing against the 2 seed in the doubles semi - Mary Ginnard and Vesna McKenna. Two very talented women on the tennis court, each possessing countless Gold Balls. Ginnard plays with much finesse and McKenna aggression. A tough duo, but again, should be a great match!

Did I mention that my mixed partner is a 6 time member of the Davis Cup Team for the Bahamas? Yeah, he is REALLY, REALLY good. Despite being the 2nd seed, anything short of a Gold Ball in mixed is on me!

Supposed to be colder tomorrow....the high is ONLY 74.