Fall ITA Regionals Recap

Hi everyone,

The fall ITA Regional is one of the most exciting events of the year.  There is so much non stop tennis and we love hosting because our facilities and weather allowed us to have not just main, but also first and second round consolation draws in singles and a consolation doubles draw.  You can read the final recap here and see draws here.

Fortunately, our team did not need to make use of those extra draws too much as we did damage, with all 6 players getting through their first rounds.  While her teammates rolled and fought through second round matches, Lori played a 9 seed first year from Linfield and after dropping a tight first set, loosened up to dominate the second set 6-0 before losing a close match tie break 10-6.   Undeterred, she beat a very tough George Fox player in the second round consolation.  Lori has come so far in her year of college tennis.  Last year, she struggled to find her shots and after a summer full of summer school, she used our fall season and these tournaments to show how far she's progressed.  If she keeps going at this pace, Lori will be an absolute force in our lineup this year.

Speaking of forces, Lori played doubles with Lindsey and after a routine first round win, they faced the top seeded team from Linfield.  Lindsey has worked on hitting a heavier ball for the past year and wow it showed as she was knocking her opponents back and finishing at net.  The score wasn't close, but if you watched the match and saw each game and how good Lori and Lindsey became as a team in just a couple weeks of practice it bodes well for our team doubles and the combinations we can put out there any day.  In singles, Lindsey for the first time was seeded and was able to get to day two and the round of 16 (the past two years she faced a top seed early on).  Her match with the #3 seed was nothing short of what I expected.  The matchup was a tough one, testing Lindsey's ability to be consistent yet still impose her game.  By the second set she found this rythym and went up 4-1 before gutting it out 7-5!  The third set saw another swing as she dug herself a hole giving away too many free points, but climbed back to make it competitive.  All in all, a hard fought 3 set match with the 3 seed is an improvement we can build on.  In fact, Lindsey's game has been steadily improving since day one at Whitman and she is a huge part of who we are and our success on the court so it will be incredibly exciting to see where she continues to take us.

Another Whittie with fall ITA history and who I'm so proud of for her steady improvement is Allie.  Our lone senior this year, she spent the fall season preparing for the LSAT, rocking her classes, leading on campus with SAAC (our student athlete leadership group which she is co-president of), and building her tennis game.  Allie was a terrific leader for Andrea in doubles as they played to their seeding making the quarterfinals losing to LC's #1 team.  In singles, after a great first day, Allie started day 2 with a 3 hour war where she held match points in the second set before losing the the eventual champion in 3 sets.  Seeing Allie up her game from last year where the same player got her in straight sets is exciting.  On a team with so much heart, Allie's compassionate leadership is another huge key to our success going forward.

Her doubles partner Andrea has plenty of time to lead, but isn't waiting around.  In just her first year, Andrea has already showed so much composure, maturity and ability to grow and learn each day.  She brings a ton of tennis experience to the team and while she came in as the 2 seed and was upset in the quarterfinals, she understands the process of improving.  Her shots are fierce and her desire is huge.  Perhaps the best thing about Andrea is how fun it is to be around her.  She has a delightful personality and enjoys everything in life.  Each day brings improved tennis, closer friendships and an excitement for the next one with this one.  This tournament will be a terrific learning experience for her that I have no doubt we'll see pay off in her tennis and leadership.

Hanna (left) and Mary (right) getting things started with first round singles wins

On our team, everyone is a leader and this year with so much trust in each person to contribute in every way, I chose to have the smallest team I've ever coached.  This puts responsibility on each of them to really be accountable to themselves and each other each day.  These daily habits are a huge part of Mary's development and to see her embracing improved fitness, practice habits and leadership is incredibly important for us.  Mary did awesome work over the summer and is hitting the ball bigger and more consistently than ever.  This transition in growing your game can provide some bumps as you adjust to your improved skills and Mary found one in the round of 16 as she got frustrated early and dropped a tough match.  What you look for as a coach is not always how a player performs, but how they respond.  Mary came back that afternoon in doubles and responded with one of the best college doubles matches I've ever been a part of.  She and Hanna in the quarterfinals fought early trading games but then went down a break 3-6.  Again, their response was terrific as they gained momentum and played tenacious d while imposing their doubles to gain an 8-7 advantage.  After having break points for the match, suddenly they were in a tie break and the excitement was high.  The level continued to rise with both teams playing to win and after holding another match point, they faced their first match point against and Hanna came up with a huge forehand winner.  The momentum from that carried them to a win and a semifinal appearance.  In the semis, they played smart and beat a tough Linfield team to earn a spot in the doubles final.

In that final, playing for all-American status and a trip to small College Nationals, our top team competed with such immense passion and courage.  Staying together through rough patches and feeding off each other when they made their plays, this match and tournament for Hanna and Mary as a team and for Hanna in singles and doubles is the template that our team has been looking for competitively since the graduation of four of the best competitors we've ever seen (yeah EBell, Mo, Maddy, Court - I'm talking about you!).  We've worked a lot in practice to bring out each players natural instincts and find that fight no matter what is happening with the score, their opponents, their shots, the situation or anything and that is an incredibly hard thing to do as a team in an individual sport.  Sunday, Mary and Hanna showed how possible it is and even in losing (which is hard when you prepare and play so well and want and deserve to win), that what matters is how we play.

Overall, the template is there for this to continue to be a special special season.  In the spring we will bring our habits of constant improvement, our competitiveness as a team, our mental strength, our depth and our doubles into team matches.  We'll also welcome back Cello from injury and Jenna from studying abroad in Spain - two huge additions for us.  Just thinking about it gives me chills....I can't wait.  But for now, we'll enjoy some time off to focus on school, being a student, taking care of our bodies and minds and then building and preparing for an awesome schedule with a fantastic team.

I'll continue to blog in the fall when we release our schedule - it's almost done I promise!!!! And we will have some special events (spoiler alert, we do play at Mercer Island this year so Tennis and Wine campers look out!), we have two national trips around the country and a conference season that based on the depth we saw from teams last weekend will be up for grabs each week!  We also need to set dates for our annual family/friends/alumni weekend in March or April so please look out for that.

Sending tennislove from Walla Walla,
Coach John

Short but sweet, it's Fall ITA Regionals Week

Hello out there!

I'm trying to get a post out weekly and this past week we had a week of recovery, learning and training after the WC Fall Invite.  The team is diligently working on schoolwork to get ahead for the coming weekend and have kept up their fitness and tennis with some really solid practices.

We look to up the intensity this week as we get ready to host the Fall Oracle ITA Regional this Fri, Sat, and Sun.  It is a phenomenal event with all of our conference teams bringing singles and doubles players.  Winners are automatically all-American and get into Fall Small College Nationals!

In terms of running the tournament, coaching and keeping everything going, it can be hard to update results, but I will do my best via twitter @whitwomentennis and on the WC Website on our schedule page.

The schedule (if dry) is to play on all 10 Whitman courts outside and inside

Friday 9am until done - 2 singles rounds followed by 2 doubles rounds
Saturday same as Friday
Sunday - singles main and consolation semis and finals, doubles final.

Looking forward to some great tennis!

John

It has begun! WC Fall Invite Kicks off Whitman's Season with Excitement

Our fall season always consists of great practices, team building and often one tournament, the Fall ITA Regional.  This year we hosted the first annual WC Fall Invite, a singles and doubles tournament with top 20 NAIA Lewis-Clark State (ID), and D1 Eastern Washington and Seattle University.  It was a fantastic weekend of tennis with all four teams very close and competitive, which is exactly what we needed to continue our growth.

We set up 2 flights of singles and 2 flights of doubles to get each player 3-4 singles matches and 2-3 doubles matches in 2 days.  Saturday, we had rain all day and enjoyed the brand new blue and yellow surface in Bratton and it was phenomenal!  Everyone played great with big wins, close losses and so much great intensity.  As we grow, we need these experiences to push us forward.

In the yellow flight, our depth shined on day one with Linds and Lori teaming up for a first round doubles win and a thrilling 5-7 no ad set loss to eventual champions from EWU.  Both players have worked so hard on doubles and Lindsey demonstrated tremendous leadership which will give us so many great doubles options this year!  On the singles side of the yellow flight, it was a first round Whittie sweep with both Lori and Linds rolling through their first round before intense tough nighttime losses that each will learn from and use for fuel going forward.  Our final player in the yellow draw was Hanna who worked hard over the summer and it showed as she rebounded from a 5-7 first set to win 6-3,10-6 in the super tie break over a D1 player from Eastern.  Not done, she faced EWU's top new player from Belgium and used her intensity and composure to make the right adjustments and pull out another three set victory in another 10-6 match tie break!  Overall, Hanna was 4-0 on the day joining with Mary in the Blue flight doubles to roll in the first round, then dominate the #1 seed in the semis to make the finals of the top flight.  What a day for Hanna to celebrate her off season commitment to her tennis!

In the Blue singles, Mary took on the #4 seed and fell in a super tie break for the third, also showing her improvements from last year and the summer.  She rebounded for a consolation win to go with her big time doubles with Hanna.  After a summer working and studying hard, Allie played great tennis in both singles and doubles and these matches will get her match fitness up for the fall ITA in two weeks.

Day two so early in the season is an important one for us.  We had some terrific performances and some places to learn and grow.  After a really long day indoors Saturday it was great to move outside and it was a fantastic day for each player to learn about how they compete and build as a tournament progresses.  Even matches we didn't play our best we were able to gut out wins and competitive scores - both terrific indicators of our character, talent and focus.

Along with our doubles and depth, a huge highlight of the weekend was our lone first year player, Andrea Gu.  Andrea fought her way through day one singles and in the semi's took the first set from the top seed, EWU's #1 player.  Despite being outplayed in the super tie break, Andrea came back in the third place match to battle and find her tennis to beat the #4 seed 8-5!  What an exciting start to her Whitman tennis career!

Read our web recap here

Now, as we learn and get back to work in the classroom, on the court and in the gym, I am so excited for our next tournament, also at Whitman!

We host the Fall Oracle ITA Regional Fri Sep 30-Sun Oct 2nd, welcoming the best singles and doubles players from our conference as we compete for the regional championships which bring all-American status and a trip to Fall Nationals.

Let us know if you'll be in Walla Walla in two weeks for the Oracle ITA Regional, and if we get live streaming up indoors I'll let you know!

Warmest wishes from Walla Walla,
Coach John

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome

Hello WC Tennis Fans!

Well, its a new year and after a summer off of blogging, I wasn't sure if Whitman would have a new mascot yet or not.  Going forward the Missionary will no longer be the mascot, and the plan is to have a new one by 2017, so for now, the blog will keep this name and address.

Getting some early doubles work in on our new surface in Bratton!

And of course spending most of our days outside!

It is an absolute pleasure to welcome everyone back from summer.  There were many adventures, some great training and tournaments but a lot of variety of work, rest, travel, training and play.  What is so great for me to see is that each year I've been at Whitman, our first practice back has more depth, quality of play and the overall fitness just gets better and better.

Our other excitement comes from comings and goings.  Jenna came over during orientation to see her teammates, but is now safely landed in Spain for her semester abroad.  It is one of the awesome things about D3 that such a dedicated student athlete can still get this experience is incredible.  We miss her but are so thrilled for this opportunity she has.

I would like to officially welcome two new members of the team.  I'd like to welcome our new assistant Coach Brian Elliot. Brian comes from Eastern Washington, most recently living in Liberty Lake after growing up in Colville and playing #1 at Whitworth.  He has coached at clubs in Texas and California and brings a wealth of experience and so much passion for the game and team tennis, we are lucky to have Brian.  He's already dove in on court and with video for technical and tactical development.

With Tree and Jenna D. graduating last year (btw congrats on the respective moves to NYC and LA!!!), we have big shoes to fill through development, but helping on the recruiting side is the arrival of first year Andrea Gu.  Andrea is from Coquitlam, BC, spent 3 years of high school in Shanghai, China and now comes to Whitman ready to contribute right away.  She brings a spirit of engagement and positivity that resonates so well with our team.  On court, she is ripping the ball and working hard right away.  All of this from our highest ranked recruit ever, a 4 star top 150 in her class on tennisrecruiting.net, Andrea has played nationally in Canada as well as having great success in the USTA PNW section.  This year she stayed home a lot playing adult open tournaments in BC which will help her maturity and being ready for anything on the court.  I'll also welcome her parents Donna and Gary to the Whitman family, its wonderful to have you and Andrea is fitting in wonderfully right away.

Andrea at convocation - ready to start classes

While the excitement is high with the team, this first two weeks at Whitman have been different than any other I've experienced.  Our community is saddened by the loss of classmate and friend Josh Fishman.  Our thoughts go to his family, friends and loved ones and there has been a unusual combination of enthusiasm with grief throughout the past week.  In these times, as one player put it, we feel gratitude for our health, each other and the opportunities we have - I couldn't have said it better; thanks Mary.

Our first competition is a week from Saturday when we host a singles and doubles tournament with LC State (ID), Seattle U, and Eastern WA here at Whitman, the WC Fall Invite Sep 17-18th.

Then, two weeks later we also host the Fall Oracle/ITA Regional Championships here at Whitman Sep 30-Oct 2nd (Fri, Sat, Sun) - if you're in the area, come on out, if you're traveling to watch some great tennis, we'd love to see you!

Warm regards from Walla Walla,
Coach John

A season to celebrate and to build on

It is with no small amount of emotion that I write this blog post.  As a coach, you often find yourself thinking and feeling in opposites.  The end of a terrific season is one of those times.  This year has been unbelievable, and to be part of an experience this special requires a lot of emotional investment of the players and coaches.  This season was one of unknowns; how would we react to graduating such an amazing class in 2015? what would our new players contribute, how would the chemistry and work ethic be.  In short, how good of team could we be this year both on and off court?

While much can (and will) be said about the incredible first year class, the leadership that graduated with Maddy, Erin, Morgan and Courtney was irreplaceable.  This is where our system of not naming captains, but having everyone find ways to lead and take responsibility paid off.  Our upperclassmen, Jenna, Katrina and Allie had really been leading for a year or two, and longer in many ways.  Our sophomores Lindsey, Jenna and Hanna were all used to responsibility and each was ready for more.  So, from the fall, The steady leadership of Jenna and Tree combined with Allie's daily drive and their shared commitment to bring everyone together was evident from our success at the fall tournament, carried into their great off season work and we picked it up in January for Spring practices and matches.

Lori doing the move that in China is called "The Cat"

This isn't to say it wasn't a journey.  Each new player brought not only talent, but also incredible individuality.  Lori was adjusting to not only a new school, but American life and a rigorous education in her second language. This absolutely took time, but we saw that as she adjusted, we got more and more of her personality which is so incredibly positive, fun and energetic.  At the same time as she settled into the culture of our team and campus, her game settled and she finished the year with the best record on the team in singles (15-1) and a new confidence and desire to use those skills in doubles.

Cello showing off her wheels and one hander

Cello's transition was a stark contrast to Lori because she is so outgoing and friendly that being from Seattle, she already had many friends at Whitman and the tools to play with anyone from day one.  That doesn't mean that she grew less, in fact, in many ways, Cello's development this year is one of the most remarkable of anyone I've coached in my career.  Her desire to grow her game and to integrate her intense fiery competitive nature into being a positive and supportive teammate were big departures from her junior tennis.  I don't think most players could take this much on successfully, but Cello had a great season, earning all-conference honors, playing better doubles as the season went on and building a foundation that will allow her game and contributions to the team to skyrocket in the years to come.

Hard work and smiles...Jana has it all

Another pillar of our future is Jana.  Jana is everything a coach could ever ask for; an incredible player, unreal athlete, and a team player to her core.  Jana started with a great fall, making the quarters of singles and dubs in the fall USTA/ITA regional.  She too was committed to making some changes in her game that will take her to an incredible level and she continues to work diligently to align the parts of her game and develop a style that she can count on day in and day out.  I felt so lucky as a coach for her to understand this and to have a team with such depth that we could take some of the pressure to perform off of her and let her work her way into college tennis.  Still, she dominated in doubles with a 10-5 record to go with an 11-6 accounting in singles.

Mary's all court game translated right away into singles and doubles

Mary finished the season tied with Allie for the most wins on the team (32 combined singles and doubles) and she played the whole year in the top half of the lineup at 3 and 1, but mostly 2 singles and all at 1 doubles.  Mary has an ease to her personality that makes it fun to be around her, and an ease to her game that allows her to adjust to the situation and make the shots and plays needed on that day.  With such early success, what was remarkable was how much she improved certain areas of her game.  Her great play was rewarded with first team all conference honors and regional rankings in both singles and doubles.

As a class, it is such a joy to know that this group has come together and learned so much.  They are incredible individuals who through the season figured out not just how to improve individually but how to make each other better.  They also have such wonderful personalities that complement each other and allow them to become great friends but also push each other.

A defining aspect of our season was how we competed nationally in DIII.  With so much turnover in the lineup and so many new faces, in many ways our season and success were defined by the play and leadership of the sophomores.  Jenna, Lindsey and Hanna all stepped up to help lead us to 5 nationally ranked wins, solidifying our program in the top 25 and showing we can play with anyone any day.

Hanna's awesome forehand

Hanna was a rock in doubles for us.  It is amazing to think that she was the only player from our doubles lineup last year that was in it this year.  Her big serve, solid ground game and huge play at the net not only got us a dozen wins at the #1 spot and she and Mary a top 10 regional ranking, but those attributes in practice every day rubbed off on her teammates, giving us 4 doubles teams that could play with anyone any day.  Hanna also worked hard on her singles and had some great performances, but what I really appreciate is how good she got at bringing it every day in practice and in any match opportunity she got.  I have no doubt she'll keep getting better and it will be so fun to see what she does on the court.  She also sought a big leadership role and while her energy and support has been incredible from day one, now as a sophomore she has really begun to understand how to share her incredible passion, sense of humor and vision for how good this team can be.

Lindsey rips a forehand in a huge 3 set win over LC

Another type of leadership is lead by example.  Lindsey does this in every way every day.  She takes care of herself so well and balances school, tennis, and an incredible amount of meaningful volunteering and it shows everyone that if  you are disciplined you can do so much with your education.  After a very successful first year, she absolutely lifted her game in singles, improving her shots, fitness, and getting more and more confident with different aspects of her game.  Maybe the most fun was seeing her become a force in doubles.  Her patterns and shot selection last year were so dialed in for singles, and as she has integrated the right plays and great finishing at the net, her doubles play has been tremendous.  She and Allie came together and finished the year with 5 straight wins including D1 Seattle U and nationally ranked Linfield and Lewis and Clark!  The LC team was ranked #23 in D3!  I'm so proud of Lindsey's balance but intense work ethic and how she knows herself.

Jenna's heavy backhand

Something so special about this team is how much they appreciate the opportunities they have and realize how fortunate they are to be students at Whitman.  The are also keenly aware of the life lessons that college tennis teaches and how while we are having a ton of fun and building amazing relationships, that competing together allows us to experience success and failure in a safe place where we can pick each other up.  The whole concept of competition as a process we undertake with our opponent rather than just being about winning and losing is so important to me that they understand.  I am so fortunate to coach Jenna (Lil J for another week...then just Jenna or J Rae).  The way that she competes is so true to what sports should always be.  There is an intense ferocity and desire to win that pushes her, yet she balances it with the utmost respect for her opponents even in the most heated moments of battle.  And after the toughest of practices or matches, wrestling with all of the emotions that tennis requires, Jenna inspires me with her true appreciation for her efforts and her opponent.  She always wants more from herself and is willing to fight for it, but as much as she wants her best and to win, she never seems hung up on the result.  She reminds me daily of what it means to compete and play sports and why it is so valuable to do.  On top of that, her game has really grown in consistency and her identity in singles and doubles is as strong as her heavy groudies and it paid off.  With a 14-5 singles record and 10-3 doubles record its amazing how focusing on improvement rather than results is often the best way to get great results.

Allie doing work from the baseline

Speaking of results, Allie had an incredible year going 18-7 in singles and 14-9 in doubles.  One of the most dedicated, hard working and caring players I have coached; Allie leads in many ways on and off the court.  She is hugely involved in SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Council) on campus and was recently elected to represent Whitman at the conference level SAAC.  Allie finds so many ways to bring the team together and make our presence felt on campus involving us in community service and campaigns like, "It's on US" taking a stand against sexual violence.  On the court, the extra practice, weights, and diligence lets her rip her shots all day.  Where she's grown the most is in doubles, really knowing the court better each week and becoming a great partner and finisher as well as having the big reliable serve and groundstrokes.  I already mentioned the tear she and Lindsey finished the year on and there is more to come in her senior year!

Finally, it is time that I write a final player post and welcome Katrina and Jenna as Whitman Women's Tennis alumnae.  These two got paired to be roommates as first years in Jewett Hall and the bond created was instant and has only grown stronger.  It's hard to imagine being more proud of two people as individuals and as teammates.  They allow each other to have their own journey of tennis and school, but the first person always there when they need it is the other.  Two of the most genuine, nice, caring and loving people I've been around, they both have the ability to achieve at anything they set their mind to, but also find ways to enjoy balance in life.

Team D - Family within Family

I am so inspired by what Jenna has done as a student athlete.  She worked constantly to build a singles game that has no weaknesses and so many strengths.  This year, she was hungry to step into the #1 role and every practice there was no doubt who our on court model for success was.  In matches, she got to play the best players in the country and every time she was right there.  We saw her best tennis as a senior and the level of play as she put the final pieces of attacking short balls, finishing at net and controlling the baseline with a variety of patterns.  She has been ranked #13 in the West region most of the season where she currently sits and can be proud of the results, rankings and mostly the feeling of playing such wonderful tennis.  Of course, this singles momentum was building, and it was her success in doubles which was just as gratifying.  Not wanting to volley or always having good targets with her returns in previous years, JD was an absolute monster at the net this year.  Her poaches and huge overheads ate up the middle of the court and her money lefty serve and ripping returns kept teams on their heels.  It is impossible not to feel great about Jenna's legacy at Whitman and again she was honored as first team all-NWC for her 4th all conference award.  Jenna plans to head back home to Southern California and pursue a career in TV where she loves combining her skill for economics with the excitement of the entertainment industry.

Katrina, as an art major, recently installed her thesis.  If you're on campus the next two weeks, definitely go to Olin Hall and check it out. I don't know tons about art, but I was blown away by how thought provoking, powerful and still very approachable if even fun and whimsical her thesis is.  She'll be heading east to the big apple to see where her talents in various media and creativity take her.

Alice and Katrina - so much support and love to celebrate!

This year was equally inspiring from Tree on our team as she worked incredibly hard rehabbing from her knee surgery in the fall and was at every practice coaching and engaging with the team.  After sad news from her surgeon in January that her timetable of recovery wouldn't allow her to play this year (she would have been in the fast part of the range of recovery times, but we were hopeful nonetheless), it was incredible to see Katrina take charge of her overall health and well being.  Sometimes as an athlete, taking a step back is the hardest thing.  It is even harder when its not by choice.  Katrina handled this as an opportunity and true to our team values of being together as a team but also supporting the needs of each individual, she took some time away from the day to day practice and matches.  But, because Tree is so special and has such power as a leader and friend, she stayed connected and continued to forge bonds with the first and second years who made up most of the team.  When she was ready she came back to practice and coached at matches and this allowed her to give so much more to the team.  Katrina probably has the most vocal perspective on tennis and competition and her ability to get everyone pumped and keep the belief high at all times helped us in immeasurable ways have the wonderful success we had this year.

We will miss these two so much, but I'm incredibly excited to celebrate their graduation and see what they do next in life.  In fact, there is so much to celebrate this year with great success on and off court, but there is also more to build on with the talent, desire and teamwork to take another step forward next year.

If you've gotten this far, thanks for taking the time to read this post.  Often I think writing this is more for me than you.  It's a way for me to reflect and enjoy how meaningful this 'job' is.  I'm so happy for every moment we had this year and am beyond excited for what is to come next year as this young team becomes seasoned and builds off of the great year we had this year as well as everything the program has been through in the past.  I hope you've enjoyed this look into the lives and tennis of these truly outstanding women.  They are the model of talent, determination and teamwork that any coach would love to have.  I'm glad I'm that coach.

John

PS  HUGE thanks go to all the support teams out there; our families, friends, alums and campus community are second to none, we love you all.  I could not enjoy this whole thing so much or work to give the team such a great experience without Maddy as an amazing talented and incredibly passionate assistant coach.  Every year seems to get to be more fun and rewarding, and for that and everything else she does to love and support me and be family to the team, thank you Jen, I love you so much.

It's Playoff Time!!!

Hello Tennis Fans!

It is that magical time of year when we celebrate what we've done and look to the coming weekend of playoff tennis.  Our journey this year has been incredible as we have come so far and learned so much.  With a challenging national schedule and three D1 matches in there, we have passed many tests to remain in the top 25 nationally in D3 and are building our momentum for the days ahead.

Our final tuneup for the postseason came with two resounding conference wins over Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran.  We played a terrific match against UPS and fought through a slow doubles start to gut out a 2-1 lead and roll through singles versus PLU to get an 8-1 win.  It was also an incredible experience to play D1 Seattle University on their home courts outside in Seattle.  With families, friends and alums cheering us on, we had a great win by Allie and Lindsey at #3 doubles and Cello and Jenna were right there at #2 while their #1 team did a great job against Hanna and Mary.  In singles it was Allie again getting us a point with a terrific 3 set battle.  But every match was terrific.  Cello and Jenna each had really high level tennis with Cello coming back from 0-4 in the second to push it to a tie break, it was so good seeing how both of them competed and hit their shots so freely.  Mary had a slow start but then went toe to toe with a great player at #2 and the final matches on were battles from the start.  Lil J went up 3-0 before her opponent cut down errors and hit bigger as the battled each set 6-3,6-3.  Lori was last on and after dropping a close first set, found a way to break her big serving opponent for a 7-5 second set and she carried that momentum into the match tie break.

From our previous D1 matches where we competed but couldn't get points, this was a big improvement and shows the hard work the team has put in.  We also couldn't be more excited to play the conference tournament right now where we have wins over two of the teams and from a 2-7 loss early to Lewis and Clark, we are headed in the right direction with a narrow 4-5 loss a couple weeks ago.  We are certainly focused on Linfield who has everyone healthy and is a great team deserving of their national ranking so I hope you can come watch us play in Portland this weekend as we look each day to enjoy the moment and extend our season!

Championship Schedule at Lewis and Clark College

Saturday, April 23 - Semifinals at L&C
10am                 #1 Lewis & Clark vs. #4 Whitworth
Not before 2pm   #2 Whitman vs. #3 Linfield

Sunday, April 24 - Championship Match at L&C
10am                     semifinal winners

Saving the best for last....or is it just getting started

Hello everyone,

Today at Whitman is Whitman Undergraduate Conference Day.  If you're not a Whittie and don't know about this event, it is one of the things that makes our liberal arts education so special.  Without graduate students at Whitman, our professors (who are experts in their fields) need help conducting research and value teaching so students do a ton of work at a really high level.  This ranges from senior seminar papers/projects to a senior thesis to research or study conducted by students with professor or student grants etc.

The bottom line is that Whitman students do amazing work and one day a year the college stops classes and the whole campus is involved in presentations of this work.  Today, Jenna moderated a panel themed, "Our town, Our times" and gave a presentation on a project she did titled, "Who's Framing Whom? Critical Analysis of Jay Z and Beyonce Meeting the Mona Lisa"  How's that for an econ major (who has passed her senior exams!!!).  During the all campus lunch, Cello who plays in the Jazz Ensemble performed at the Reid Campus center, so there is music, science, social science and just about everything you can think of students doing...what a day!

Okay, enough excitement about school, last weekend we had a one match and following a great week of practice, we played our last home regular season match vs Pacific.  This is a talented team that we knew would be tough, especially at the top of the lineup and in doubles.  Through the years, I've seen teams go through matches relying on depth or talent and the result is often good, but the goal of our team each day is to use every minute we have together on court to keep improving.  Sunday was an absolute celebration of that attitude.

We got out quickly in doubles sweeping the three counting matches plus the exhibition where Lil J and Jana played brilliant attacking doubles to win 8-0.  All other teams won 8-3 and our habits are really coming out!  In singles, there was no drop, rather we stepped it up with the dangerous 1-3 matches all going our way in straight sets.  I'm so proud of Jenna as a senior to play two brilliant sets in front of friends and teammates at 1.  Mary and Allie were just as good at 2 and 3. Cello and Lindsey rested while Lil J and Lori were efficient at 4 and 5 and Jana started strong, hiccuped a bit in the second set and reset herself brilliantly to take the third set 6-1.  Hanna went inside for an exhibition and was the first done 6-0,6-1.

I'm incredibly proud of the team on and off the court, we have more fun each week as they get used to the habits or competing together as champions and growing together each day and week.

This weekend we have an exciting weekend in Tacoma/Seattle.  If you're in the area, let me know as we'd love to see you at matches and are working on a team/supporter dinner Saturday night in Seattle.

Saturday we play at 9am at UPS then go to Seattle University for a showdown with the D1 Redhawks.

If you'll be at the matches or are interested in joining us for dinner Saturday night, please email me at heinj@whitman.edu

Sunday we play PLU at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma at 10:30am.

This is the final regular season matches for our team and then we play the Northwest Conference Tournament.  More info after this weekend, but in all likelyhood we will travel to Lewis and Clark where the Pios will host the top 4 conference teams.  We would be slated to play in Portland at LC Saturday 4/23 at 2pm in the second semifinal of the day.  The finals will be Sunday 4/24 at 10am with an NCAA bid on the line.

We hope to see you soon!
John

Family/Alumni/Senior Weekend in Walla Walla

It was an amazing weekend of tennis. Our Wonderful WhitWomen demonstrated awesome improvement and after a 2-7 score the first time with Lewis and Clark, we had a terrific hard fought, well played 4-5 match that came down to 3rd sets at 5 and 6. Our sophomores showed how good they are with Hanna leading Mary to a strong win at 1 dubs and Lil J and Lindsey fought side by side in gutsy 3rd sets, Linds fighting through cramping to win 6-4 and Jenna coming incredibly close in a tough 4-6 third set.

Our family/alum/senior dinner was so special thanks to the planning by Coach Maddy and the amazing hosting of Christy (Lindquist) and Jay Krutulis. Thanks so so much! The team put together a great tribute for Katrina and Jenna.

The whole crew at dinner..more photos on the flickr site

This team plays such amazing tennis, but it is so special to have amazing support from our alums and families. Thanks to locals Jayne and Jim, Jay and Christy, and Kate KP for coming out as well as the Schuellers (WC superfans and super smart math profs).

Sunday we bounced back in a big way, taking down a very tough George Fox team who we beat 6-3 in February. This time we got the doubles sweep and carried it to an 8-1 win. This team continues to show that they learn from EVERY experience and can apply it to the next match. Cello, Lori and Jana were especially on fire, all winning singles and dubs in convincing fashion. For Allie and Lil J, they also got double wins, which is super tough against a good team the day after leaving every bit of physical, mental and emotional strength on the court the day before before LC. I'm so proud of each and every player, without all of them we would not be the team we are or be in such a great position to continue this special journey together.

Our families who traveled included Jana's dad Heath (sorry, Dr. Miller), the Gilberts, the Wallin's, the Dobrin's, Alice Allick, Val Brodeck. You're all so wonderful and to all those who couldn't make it we missed you!

We're working (well mostly Maddy is) to make this a special event each year, so to have alums Amy K-P, Steven Ly, Seth Dawson, Emily Rolston all come out and share great times with us was so special!

And most of all, anything I'm able to do to help this team improve, learn and have a good time happens because Jen is so loving and supportive.

Thanks everyone.

John

Upcoming events:

1)Sunday 4/10 10am Home vs Pacific

2)Saturday 4/16 9am at Univ Puget Sound

Saturday 4/16 3pm at Seattle University

*Team/Family/Alum/Friend Dinner TBA in Seattle - contact John if you're interested!

3) NWC Championships (Likely at Lewis and Clark if they win out)

Saturday 4/23 Semifinals (probably 2pm?)

Sunday 4/24 Finals 10am

*The playoffs are elimination so this is what we've been working for, to play each match as our last and extend our season into the NCAA's and see how far we can go!

Spring Break 2016 – A Full Heart After a Full Trip

It is with such wonderful pleasure that I sit down to write about our Spring Break this year.  I love that in college tennis, as good as one year is, the next is fresh and new as the people on the team change and grow.  Growth has really been the theme of our season this year.  It’s something that I’m really proud of in our program overall, that our players improve so much on court and learn so much as people.  This year’s team has been incredible because of the immense talent that they bring and the strong desire to push themselves to constantly be better and find out how good we can be.  This requires a certain mindset of loving the process of growth.  This process is inherently full of both pain and joy.  After what was an outstanding start to the season through our non-conference matches, the Winter Classic and the first half of our conference season, if there was one thing I wanted from the team it was for them to enjoy how great they are and how far they’ve come in such a short time.  This theme of being fully present in the moment and celebrating success as well as responding positively to failure really came to fruition over this week.

We had a two-part spring break this year.  Starting in Portland, we faced the task of coming off of midterms, driving and playing teams we’d already played.  Against Willamette, who we previously beat 9-0, the challenge was to start with great energy and focus and not take them for granted.  We did exactly that, winning 9-0 again, rotating our lineup and playing really solid tennis. 

This effort spilled over into the next day as we completed our home and home with Linfield.  After a really great home win 7-2 in February, we took 2 of 3 doubles to start strong, but Linfield looked hungry taking all three first sets (match on 3 courts indoors at Linfield) at #1,2 and 3.  The positive response from our team was incredible, with Allie and Mary both fighting back to win in 3 sets and with our depth, even though JD lost, being up 4-2 with three matches to go was huge for us.  Jenna’s journey this year has been an incredible one that continues to inspire and motivate us all.  Coming into the year, she and I may have been the only people who really knew what she would face as our #1 and the hunger and excitement JD brought to that challenge propelled her to the best tennis of her life.  After rehabbing a mild injury, Jenna was not at her best this day, but used the match to rebuild her game and by the end, she was firing at a level that could beat anyone in the country again.  Our depth was truly on display as Cello, Lil J and Hanna all won in straight sets.  The ability of the sophomores to step up at this point in the season has been so huge for us because it’s allowed our talented first years room to develop at a pace that can be sustained and built on continuously all season and throughout their Whitman careers.

In the end, it was another 7-2 win, this one on the road after midterms was even more impressive to me and it gave us a great boost before heading to California to run our win streak to 5 straight matches.  I also can’t thank enough the parents who cheered us on, kept us fed (thanks Val and Ken!) and the Farrell and Whittaker families for hosting us. 

After the Linfield match, there was time for a quick shower, a hello to super alum/fan/W Club board member Lynn McKelvey, and of course a trip to Portland wouldn’t be the same without Salt and Straw ice cream!  Then it was on a plane to California!

Salt and Straw in Portland

Love our personality on and off the court!

Our week in California started with fun times with the Webster’s in Long Beach and with a trip to the BNP Paribas pro tournament at Indian Wells with the Greenberg’s.  If you’re a tennis fan, you have to go to Indian Wells at some point, what a terrific event and memorable experience for our team.  We capped off our two days off with a practice at USC’s new facility thanks to Maddy’s longtime coach and friend Peter Smith and then had an amazing dinner with the Dobrin’s.

Enjoying practice at USC with Peter

At the BNP Paribas in Indian Wells

We then hunkered down in Claremont for 4 exciting matches.  We started off with one of our best team efforts of the year, playing a terrific match to win over #36 UT Tyler 9-0!  I was so proud of the doubles energy and great efforts especially from Hanna and Lil J who each played really good dubs and then had to battle in long singles matches; the grit on display was tremendous from all, especially these two.  It was a great day for both Allie and Lindsey.  Allie really being the captain we needed in dubs and then rolling with great confidence in singles and Lindsey winning the first singles point by finding her game early and not giving the Patriots any room to comeback.  These two really know and trust their games and that really propelled us in doubles and singles.

Team support is key for us and here is the team supporting Jana vs CMS

The next day we played #4 CMS on their courts.  This was a great measuring stick for us as the Athena’s really utilized their talent and athleticism well and made very few mistakes.  We felt right with them, but also learned a lot in a tough 9-0 loss.  It was a match that will help everyone build on their mental toughness as we just gave away too many free points.  Lori came away with an exhibition win and JD and Mary battled one of the nations best 1-2 combos incredibly well in competitive matches.

Watching the Whitman Men play #2 CMS - did this fan base lead Phil and Zach to a win at #1 doulbes....

Friday was our third match in 3 days and though Vassar has had some tough losses to drop them out of the rankings, they are a very good team and we found ourselves in an intense battle from the start. A huge win from Hanna and Mary kept us in it after dubs down 1-2.  Allie is so often at the heart of our success and is so central to who we are as she demands incredible sportsmanship and support from herself and the team; and she went to work winning in straight sets and displaying her leadership and improved calm under pressure to tie things up.  Lindsey never really got into her groove, but gave everything a coach could ask for in her match so we were down 3-2.  The other straight set matches had Lori (who has steadily been displaying outstanding performances to earn a big top 6 match) blitzing through the first set 6-0, then fighting her way through a second set tie break 8-6 for a straight set win.  JD on court one battled in two long close sets but lost so with Mary and Cello in third sets, we needed them both.  I was on the bottom courts so didn’t see Mary’s match, but the cheers of our team and our Men’s team who all came to watch told me, she was winning in the third.  Mary has been so solid for us and every week, we see the payoff for her hard work at practice as her habits get better and better and keep her in matches until her natural instincts take over.  

So it came down to 4-4 with only Cello’s match on.  In team tennis, you have to have awareness of the whole match but somehow stay focused on the points you are playing.  Cello lost her first set 0-6, but maintained a positive attitude and belief in her game which propelled her into a third set which she led from the start.  Midway, her opponent played two great games to retake the lead and serve for the match at 5-4.  Undaunted, Cello combined offense and defense to break and hold and then she fought for one last break to win 7-5 in the third and clinch us the match.  5-4 matches that come down to the final set can be terrifying, or as I see them, super fun.  It means on this day the two teams are neck and neck and the final match is a closely contested one.  This day, it was an incredible match where both players played well, were composed, had great sportsmanship and it came down to a couple points here and there.  I’m so happy for the team and for Cello in fighting this match out, applying the lessons learned in previous matches and really going after it when it counted.  The way she played this match was more important than the win, but the win for the team is huge in continuing to have confidence and believe in all scenarios.

The match was over, but Lil J still battled at #7 and the team still supported in yellow!

With three great matches under our belts we had a light practice and day off before fishing vs #14 Chicago.  This is a team I’ve never coached against, but they are a very talented group and I couldn’t wait to play them.  In this test, at the end of a long trip, against a higher ranked team I am so happy that the match was such a battle.  We ended up losing 8-1 with another impressive performance from Cello, but JD and Mary went three sets and we won the 7 and 8 matches with Lori and Jana winning in straight sets.  These two matches were huge for us as Lori continues to grow and need challenges so we can figure out just how good she is right now - this was a great indication that her steady, positive diligent work is coming through on court.  Jana’s match was especially gratifying because she has been a model team player while working to adjust her style of play.  The work she’s putting in is starting to show up more and more consistently and this was a big time affirmation of that – so look out for this incredibly talented super athletic Whittie. Allie played another good match losing to a great player who had a great day and Lindsey got her rythym back in two well played sets while Lil J also played her best match of the week, nearly fighting it into a third set.  Our doubles is really coming around and it didn’t show on the scoreboard, but Mary and Hanna continue to improve at 1, Cello and JD are sitting at the edge of a huge breakthrough and the Allie/Lindsey and Lil J/Jana teams are both finding their identity and provide us with great doubles depth.  All in all, this match could have swung the other way and it shows that we’re in a terrific place heading into April and our final three weekends of conference play.

I’ve done a lot of team trips and they are all special, but this one felt like such an amazing team experience on and off court, where each day was truly meaningful in providing wonderful tennis, great times together, and an appreciation for the amazing support we have.  I love coaching this team. In particular, the constant growth keeps me so hungry to get back on the court together, to learn, improve, and mostly to enjoy every moment playing together.

Thank you so much to the team for your outstanding character and attitudes, to our families and friends for beyond incredible support and to our men’s team for getting us through the Vassar match and being such an awesome team to share this experience with.  Most of all, this would not have been near the trip it was without the superhuman efforts in all areas from Coach Maddy.  Seeing her grow from a player and leader on court into a seasoned coach gives me joy beyond what I can express in writing.

We’re now in the midst of a week off (YES, IT IS NOT JUST A GREAT RECRUITING TOOL TO HAVE A 2 WEEK SPRING BREAK, BUT A NECESSARY BREAK IN THE LONG COLLEGE TENNIS SPRING), and I can’t wait to practice Monday and get ready for our senior/family/alumnae weekend April 2-3^rd when we rematch #19 Lewis and Clark and up and coming George Fox at home.  If you plan to be there, please let me or Coach Maddy know, we’d love to share the good times and some special events with you.

With tennislove from Walla Walla,

John

The Battle of Whits

At Whitman, any contests between ourselves and our neighbors to the north in Spokane are always a big deal.  And with our schedule being a 1 and a half round robin in conference, this year we played the Pirates once and had to do it on the road at their place.  It was a great day for the Battle of Whits as we started the day with a resounding 8-1 win and then in the nightcap our men's basketball team upset #3 Whitworth to move on to the sweet 16 of the NCAA tourney this weekend!

Our day started brightly as our hosts the Fennessy's were outstanding and got us a good nights sleep and a solid start.  We were well taken care of once we arrived at Whitworth with Emily Rolston (Anthropology 2012, Century Club member) and her dad Layne coming from Missoula to cheer us on and provide yummy healthy snacks, thanks so much Layne and Em!

On the court, we decided Jenna could use another couple days rest from a mild injury and Cello was battling a nasty illness so hadn't been able to train much that week.  Fortunately, our team is so deep and it was incredible to see everyone step up and play great start to finish earning a big win and building our momentum as we head into spring break.

In doubles, Allie and Lindsey set the tone winning easily, but Hanna and Mary were in a close battle from the start and Jana and Lil J got down 0-4!  It was great to see #3 dubs fight back and establish their presence pushing the Pirates to a tie break.  At #1, we were trading breaks but couldn't find any separation and give a lot of credit to Whitworth for the 8-6 win, which has done nothing but fire up Hanna and Mary in practice this week - watch out!  In the tie break, Jenna and Jana showed tremendous composure, served great and played great at the net to take it and give us a 2-1 lead going into singles.

Here, on 3 courts with players stepping up, Allie and Lindsey again led the way with efficient straight set wins.  Mary started slowly but won 6-3,6-1 at #1 to clinch the match.  After that it was just wonderful fun to see Lil J, Jana and Lori go to work to sweep the singles and send us home with a well deserved win.  Jenna D added great coaching and Cello found energy between coughs to be a huge cheering presence start to finish.

Allie was our Whittie of the match for her ruthless efficiency, making good players look very pedestrian and I was also impressed with Lil J and Jana fighting against opponents who competed with a ton of heart and made them work for each point.  Finally, it was cool to play in the bubble (not something I usually say as I'm spoiled with our wonderful outdoor courts and indoor facility) because Lori was flat out unloading on the ball, cracking winners that echoed off the walls and led to thunderous cheers from the bench.  Her strokes have been great from day one, but to see her build so much strength is a testament to her adjustment to life and school in the US as well as her incredible work ethic putting in extra fitness and tennis - always with a smile.

Stay tuned for news from this weekend as we travel to Oregon to rematch Willamette at 10am Saturday and then Linfield at 10am Sunday before we fly to California for our spring break trip!

If you're in the area, come on over to Salem and McMinnville to cheer on this amazing group of incredibly talented student athletes.

Cheers,
Coach John

Bouncing Back

There are some things in life that you never want to take for granted.  High among them are the traits of not just champion athletes, but champions in life.  Among others, these include appreciation, compassion, resiliency, courage, determination....the list could go on.

Jenna serving during the Winter Classic

Often at the start of a week, I'll write a recap of what the team has done and a preview of what is coming up.  This week I'll stray from that format because my belief in this team that I've had from day one of fall practice was affirmed this weekend.  The scoreboard on Friday's 2-7 loss to Lewis and Clark may not show it, but this is a championship team and I could not be more proud or excited for the next step in our journey together.

We have been learning from each match, and this past weekend was no different as our games and confidence grow each day.  Not every group of players would do that, but as I said, the true nature of these players as people is so incredible that I can only be inspired by the way they compete and so excited about each practice and match.

We bounced back from that loss with a determined sweep of Willamette and George Fox.  It was awesome to mix up the lineup and see everyone compete and demonstrate our level of play.  Appreciation, compassion, resiliency, courage, determination are perfect words to describe the women of Whitman Tennis.

This weekend we get a well earned weekend off and are training for our next match Saturday March 5th at 10am at Whitworth in Spokane.

Allie went undefeated in singles this weekend and is upping her doubles game too

An Instant Classic

Hello everyone!

This past weekend we were thrilled to host 5 nationally ranked teams at home for our annual Whitman Winter Classic.  There is no way that I can recap all the tennis, but Gregg Petcoff in our sports communication department did a tremendous job recapping the matches and getting scores posted as well as live streaming the matches.  You can read the recaps on our webpage here.  Except for some rain and chilly weather that kept us indoors, the weekend went really smoothly and so much of that is due to our training staff and coaches.  Maddy and Tom were everywhere helping out, driving teams to/from the airport, setting up a wonderful family/alum dinner and oh yeah....coaching.

For us, this entire season is one that is all about discovering who we are and what we can do.  We know we have incredible talent, desire, support and sportsmanship; but how would we fare against top ranked teams?  The answers are both exciting as we build confidence, but also motivating as we answer questions and see how great we are.

The weekend started with a match against #35 Trinity. The Tigers in my opinion just didn't have the schedule last year to start with a higher ranking, plus they added some great pieces in recruiting so we knew it would be a battle...and a battle it was.  After playing great doubles to take a 2-1 lead, both teams settled into singles and eventually it came down to 4-4 and Allie was so composed and within herself to get her match to a third set.  Unfortunately, her opponent responded with an amazing set and Trinity got the match 5-4, but every one of our 10 players was fully engaged from start to finish and to have a match this big be contested from the first ball to the last is something we needed and is huge to get it early in the year.  Everyone contributed and grew so our Whittie of the Match was a 10 way tie, I'm so proud of how our team competed and started the weekend off.

Saturday we had the early start to accommodate a busy match schedule which went from 8am to 10pm.  The Bulldogs from Redlands play solid doubles and while every match was contested to the end, going down 0-3 gives us plenty of motivation to improve on the doubles court even though I thought we played some great tennis at all 3 spots.  So many teams would go away down 0-3, but we fought back to take 3 singles matches with Jenna going deep in 3 sets at #1.  We're a team that can win at every spot and loves the challenge of fighting together.

Before the finish to the tennis, Maddy planned a dinner downtown for the team, families and alums.  We had some wonderful local alums with Christy Krutulis, Kate KP and Danielle Garbe as well as semi locals (Seattle), Morgan and Courtney Lawless.  The Hills, Dobrins, Wallins, Val Brodeck and the Lockwoods were all with us at DaMa Wines.  Mary Derby and her staff at DaMa  were such wonderful hosts and it was so enjoyable to spend time with everyone!

Back on court Sunday, the team had decided that the finale to the Winter Classic and the start to our Northwest Conference Title Defense vs Linfield would be our Think Pink match.  They did a midweek bake sale and took donations at the match to give to St. Mary's Cancer Center in Walla Walla.  Everyone was involved, but Allie took a huge leadership role in making this happen and with pink shoelaces and hair ties, we set out to start the NWC season strong!  That's exactly what we did, sweeping doubles against a very good nationally ranked Linfield team.  The singles were awesome with Linfield being very strong at 1 and 2 where Jenna played possibly the best tennis I've seen before falling in a heartbreaking super tie break 8-10 to the #22 player in the nation. Jenna is right there and will have her breakthrough soon; I'm so proud of all her hard work and everyone is inspired by her play and leadership.  While the scores didn't show it, Cello's game is developing the nuances she needs to get to the next level and to be this good now and getting so much better each day is incredibly exciting.  The same goes for Jana who has been working so hard to expand her game.  When you're brave enough to do this, there can be bumps in the road.  Jana hit some of those this weekend, but I am so thrilled to see her meet many of her goals and do the things that will benefit herself and the team in the long run.  The character, talent and desire of all four new players is off the charts and we've got so many great things ahead to look forward to.

Over the weekend, we also found out what we knew from practice, that we can play great dubs and that Hanna and Mary are a legit force at #1 going 2-1 on the weekend with a huge win over the #8 team in the nation who have been to 2 fall nationals and NCAA individuals together.  Mary also gained great experience in going 3-0 in singles at #3 displaying not just her talent but also her increased fitness and her mental consistency.  Speaking of undefeated, Lori went 2-0 at #7 singles and Lindsey was a perfect 3-0 this weekend!

Thanks so much for those who came to our matches, and if you watched online or followed tweets, I hope we kept you entertained.  The fun keeps on going as we've got a short week to stay on top of our studies and keep our momentum going as we head to Lewis and Clark and Willamette for conference matches this weekend.

If you're in the Portland area, you don't want to miss this Friday's 4pm match at LC between the top two contenders in the conference!

Bye for now!
Coach John