As I meander through this process of writing about the players that I have coached or am currently coaching I am reminded frequently that whether I initiated contact or they reached out first, at some point there was a feeling that each of us could gain something by being on the same team. Each player brings something to the team and takes away something they did not have before they joined. Experiences, friends, a little different perspective than they might have started with, and hopefully a better understanding of who they are from the time they started.
Tonight, I will spend some time letting you know about Mark Bucknam, the big guy from the little state. Projects, potential, enthusiasm, and straight up talent are things that I look for in players that may come to FSC and play. We are a good team, we have good depth, and I like building from within the group if possible. Mark came for a visit during his junior year through a relative of a former player. He was lanky, under developed, but dang he had a decent serve for a tall kid. There was the little guy inside of me thinking how cool it would be to work with this raw ability, create an attacking machine and see what he could do with his enthusiasm and desire he spoke about. Flash forward and two years later he was a freshman on the team. The fall season started and all systems were a go. He was finding his limits, working on his lack of flexibility, and starting to work on the game he wanted. What do they say about the best laid plans? Well, he had a little hiccup in the fall and got a little behind the eight ball for the rest of the semester. He became a bench warmer before we even played the first match. Frustration set in and he knew that he was now going to have to spend the fall healing. None of it was his fault but his body decided that it was best to rest and observe the others on the team play. Once he was cleared to play it was time to start back.
Being smart is a great thing but being industrious is even better at times. Mark had the realization that he probably wouldn’t see much playing time his freshmen year since he spent most of the first semester recovering from being sick and we also had some great depth and talent in front of him. Not to be deterred he approached me about red shirting since he lost so much time due to the illness and being my student assistant for the season. Well, free help, someone to talk to during the matches, and another set of eyes is never a bad thing so without hesitation I said yes. My thought was, this kid talks about really wanting to make an impact as a player so this will definitely open his eyes to how tough it is out here day in and day out. During practice, he would work on his game and then during matches he would help players work on their matches. During trips, he would snap pictures, make little videos of our journeys, and annoy the occasional international player with his tidbits. All in all, it was perfect for me.
Let’s take a break from the tennis side of Mark and talk about the other side. My first impression of this kid was this: How badly can a kid with a great life really want to put in the dirty work to improve his game. You see, Mark is a talented photographer/videographer, originally was a double major wanting freshman, went to a great high school we have all heard about, has a great group of core friends, and a solid relationship with his parents and girlfriend. When you coach kids, you look for some pain that you can use to prod the athlete with to make them want to get away from the pain and show they are worthy of where you want them to go. Honestly, I cannot find that pain for Mark. He is industrious. He has taken his passion for cameras and is shooting successful videos with his friends, he has reached out to local digital companies and works with them, and has a network that is ever expanding. For God sake, he even hit a half-court shot during a basketball game and received the reward for that. What pain could he really have? Of course, he wants to be a good player but if it doesn’t happen he is still going to have all these other successes. He is only a sophomore and already has a pretty good grasp of where he is going. He has narrowed his focus of study and is pursuing those options in earnest.
Okay, back to the tennis Mark. This season was going to be one of growth for his game. You see, Mark is about 6’4” with a big serve but also has the big guy problems that plague many his size. Movement isn’t natural and big guys have this bad habit of reaching because they can instead of using their legs (Reference Nicolas Bigler). Mark is really just a raw player who knows what it will take to make his game what he wants but hasn’t quite mastered how to do it. He has had fits and starts but hasn’t had a full semester yet to really put in the work and gain some momentum. I really enjoy having him help me during matches but can see that he would like to be on the other side of the bench. Of course, all the players who aren’t playing would like to be starters but the work required is daunting and many cannot seem to put in that full effort when there are other things that act as distractions are that are actually more important for their futures. This is not a negative statement towards Mark or any of them but just a fact that to a lot of players there are things that mean more. I am okay with all of it if each player justifies their role in the team with themselves. When a player wants more that is awesome. When a player works for more it is visible. Mark has natural skills that he is utilizing to better himself and set up his future. If he truly wants more from his tennis it is more than likely going to cost him something else that he treasures. He has a lot going for him so I do not know if I will ever see his best as a player but am truly enjoying watching the other aspects of his growth become better. I suppose by his senior year he will be making videos for his own company, hiring and firing employees, and just counting down the days to graduation so that he can show the world what he can achieve. It is who he is and I do not doubt that he will accomplish it. He will continue to play tennis because he is a good player who offers a lot every time he is out there. Hell, it’s good exercise and he really does have a good serve.
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