by Sharon Goott

ANDY SCHISSLER

With nine out of its 12 players returning from last year and a new experienced head coach, the boys varsity tennis team is optimistic about its season.

Despite the loss of number one singles player, Jason Pinsky and a third place finish out of five teams last season,the Lions remain optimistic about their upcoming season.

“I think very highly of this team,” said eighth grader Jordan Polk. “I think that we will have a great season, much better than last year.”

This confidence is due in part to the team’s success during its first match, against St. Andrews on Thursday March 22. Although losing 4-3, the Lions’ top two singles players, junior Aaron Saperstein and seventh grader Tal Masica, both won their matches and are seen as two of the team’s strongest players.

“Tal Masica is a great player and I think he will definitely have a big impact on how this season goes,” said Polk. “Aaron [Saperstein] is not only a good player but a good leader as well.”

Several team members feel that having a mix of several older and younger players on the team will be key to its success this season.

“One of our strengths, surprisingly, is experience,” said eighth grader David Feith. “Even though we have more younger kids, most of the top of the ladder is made of 10th and 11th graders.”

Much of the team’s confidence entering this season, can be attributed to its new coach, Harris Rosenblatt. He has, at one time or another, been the personal tennis coach of five of the players on the team. Knowing these five players, Rosenblatt jumped at the chance to coach at JDS.

“Phil Papier offered me the job,” said Rosenblatt. “And I took it because I saw the chance to make a difference.”

Rosenblatt, who now works as a mortgage banker for Old Kent Mortgage Company in addition to coaching, played tennis at James Madison University and spent a year and a half on the pro tour.

According to Rosenblatt, much of the way he coaches today comes from his college experiences.

“I plan on using a system with this team that I found incredibly rewarding in college. It’s based on gleaning the most talent from each player and building excellence within the team.”

In order to execute his plan, Rosenblatt has members of the team constantly play each other to foster a sense of team unity and healthy competition.

“I continuously make them play each other all the time so that they learn to totally support one another,” said Rosenblatt. “I think they are getting that it’s about loving the competition, rather than being attached to the outcome,” said Rosenblatt.

This year, for the first time, there is no developmental squad. This is because, according to Rosenblatt, there would not have been enough court space.

Even though the players on the team seem quite confident, their coach is much more cautious.

“I have no expectations for the team this season,” said Rosenblatt. “My goals are that we play the best tennis possible.”

Even if the team does not go as far as they expect to this year, they can look forward to successful seasons to come.

“I think we’re better this year and will be in years to come, because we have a lot of seventh and eighth graders on the team,” said Feith