"The moment of enlightenment is when a person's dreams of possibilities become images of probabilities." Vic Braden.
I love this quote, from one of the most well known tennis coaches, that there has ever been. It works perfectly here, in drawing a parallel to where we as a team should be right now, moreover I hope all of you have spent time during the summer to ensure we make that probability a reality. I feel we made that transition from dreams to probabilities shortly after we beat Lindenwold to advance to the Sectional Semi-Finals.
The trophy you see above, which our own Coach Bay earned for leading her Green Wave squad to the 1980 Sectional Title, is the same trophy we will hoist high, wherever that may be, on a sunny day in the beginning of May of 2014. I suspect this is one of the many reasons why Coach Bay invests her time to come back to coach at place and for a tennis program, which she cares greatly for. I have a ton of respect for both our coaches and how much they care about your school. I honestly think it is pretty special to have two coaches, who to whatever degree have these same feelings for Audubon, in common.
Both these fine Green Wave coaches and former alums once fought, on those same tennis courts, for this same trophy. Every member of that 1980 girls team will forever have a little piece of themselves in that same trophy case. I am certain Coach Bay feels great pride in that accomplishment. I want you to leave that same mark, and feel that same sense of pride by adding a little piece of all of us, to that trophy case and it'll sit right next to the girls tennis 1980 and 2014 sectional title trophies. I still would like to know if the boys program has ever won a sectional title. How cool would it be to help add the first ever boys tennis trophy to that glass case at the entrance of your school. The first sectional title for any high school athletic program, will then always be it's most remembered and special one. That is another pretty darn cool feeling that is in your reach. The people and bonds that are shared and associated with a ''We' trophy is what makes it superior to the 'I' trophies.
My former high school tennis coach followed a similar path, from playing at his high school and then returning to coach his Alma matter. In reflecting back now I sense this is one of the reasons he has worked so hard and cared so much, now 40 years after he assumed the role of both boys and girls head tennis coach. I wish more high school tennis coaches had the same connection, wherein it is not that common. Before he arrived back at Haddonfield as a teacher in 1973, the baseball program was king, and had already produced a handful of major leaguers and many state championships. The boys tennis team had a very long history of losing, as too did the girls tennis team.
One person started that change. With 25 state championships and almost 2,000 combined wins to his credit, as head boys and girls coach, I think it is fair to say that Coach Holman pioneered a dynasty. His success has long inspired this coach, in everything I do to help you guys have every opportunity to succeed now and going forward, both on and off the court.
http://www.haddonfield.k12.nj.us/athletics/history.html
Both these fine Green Wave coaches and former alums once fought, on those same tennis courts, for this same trophy. Every member of that 1980 girls team will forever have a little piece of themselves in that same trophy case. I am certain Coach Bay feels great pride in that accomplishment. I want you to leave that same mark, and feel that same sense of pride by adding a little piece of all of us, to that trophy case and it'll sit right next to the girls tennis 1980 and 2014 sectional title trophies. I still would like to know if the boys program has ever won a sectional title. How cool would it be to help add the first ever boys tennis trophy to that glass case at the entrance of your school. The first sectional title for any high school athletic program, will then always be it's most remembered and special one. That is another pretty darn cool feeling that is in your reach. The people and bonds that are shared and associated with a ''We' trophy is what makes it superior to the 'I' trophies.
My former high school tennis coach followed a similar path, from playing at his high school and then returning to coach his Alma matter. In reflecting back now I sense this is one of the reasons he has worked so hard and cared so much, now 40 years after he assumed the role of both boys and girls head tennis coach. I wish more high school tennis coaches had the same connection, wherein it is not that common. Before he arrived back at Haddonfield as a teacher in 1973, the baseball program was king, and had already produced a handful of major leaguers and many state championships. The boys tennis team had a very long history of losing, as too did the girls tennis team.
One person started that change. With 25 state championships and almost 2,000 combined wins to his credit, as head boys and girls coach, I think it is fair to say that Coach Holman pioneered a dynasty. His success has long inspired this coach, in everything I do to help you guys have every opportunity to succeed now and going forward, both on and off the court.
http://www.haddonfield.k12.nj.us/athletics/history.html
The excerpt you see below is from a well known tennis instruction book by Allen Fox, long one of the the most respected teachers of the sport. This clear & concise chapter on strategy is something all should read. This specific subject is what Fox is known to be especially adept at explaining. Fox also has a great web site where I just read a fantastic article on how to implement a 'plan B,' when your 'plan A.' I rarely see articles written on this subject, and the insight offered here will help any tennis player be better prepared for what to do when plan A doesn't work against your tennis opponent.
http://www.allenfoxtennis.net/?p=171
