Lessons from Week I

Observations from two weeks of practice and one day of play.....


.....The 2012-13 Kohawks have a very, very high ceiling....however the elevator on our twelve story building is still at lobby level.

.....Tai is in mid-season form!

.....According to various previews and opening day results, both Wartburg and Luther look strong at all nine lineup spots. Central is closing fast with a lot of new players. From yesterday's results one would have to appoint the Knights and Norse as early favorites with the Dutch and Kohawks in the hunt.

.....This year's Iowa Conference title will be awarded based on regular season play, not a tournament as in past years. The first confrontation between favorites will be this coming Sunday in Waverly, when Wartburg hosts Coe.

.....Coe's 9th ranked doubles pair of Michelle Schupbach and Tai Lucero looked better than ever in throttling D2 William Jewell and Simpson yesterday. A lot more aggression this year!

.....Seems to be a lot of guys running around on open courts during the week. Just how many tennis players do we have? Will find out soon: practice starts September 10th. Then we will find out how good we might be. Iowa Conference Individuals in Decorah on September 21st and 22nd. ITA Regional Tournament in St Peter, Minnesota, September 28th-30th.

.....And finally, one 30 year old quits the ATP Tour and another is #1(for at least another week). Say good-bye to Andy Roddick; not always the most mellow of players, but a man to be admired. He worked his entire career to be fitter and to improve his game. Unlucky for him that that other 30 year old's career coincided with his. Roger Federer appears to be on a collision course with first Andy Murray, then Novak Djokovic for the 2012 US Open title.

.....Finally, part two:  don't think I am going out very far on the limb in saying that a fit Serena is the best of all time on the WTA tour. The caveat there is of course that seldom over her career have we seen her consistently fit! I would have loved to see Serena play Steffi Graf when they were both at the peak of their respective games.