We now Sit and Wait

There is a storm a brewin'. There will be more to write later. Tonight I am choosing to relax with the family as we have another day of preparation ahead of us. I will never complain or curse the work. I hope everyone stays safe and gets some great stories to share with all of us once it passes you safely. Enjoy the time with your family and remember to pick up your trash. Lastly, we will be okay. Back with you in three days.

Turn Right and Spare us the Drama

So, I feel like I could write about anything tonight and it would get about the same response. I could write about sports, a former player, sex in public places, the state of economic affairs, or even the art of a beautiful relationship and it wouldn’t matter. It appears that most of the world I swirl around in is contemplating the end of the world as they know it with an impending storm of catastrophic proportions. The part that is amazing is that we don’t even know where it is going yet. I guess that is the part that is so paralyzing.

As bad as this could turn out to be there is still work to do for a lot of everyday workers. The people who are lucky enough to stay at home and prepare are basking in the glow that they have done what others are not capable of doing at this point. Trying to do your daily work is going to be difficult from this point forward. People are wiping out their bank accounts (not really but waiting in line at the bank feels like it), trying to get gas because you drive for a living is tortuous (because people are filling up enough cans to drive to Alaska), doing regular grocery shopping is an afternoon event (yes, some of us need regular groceries and not ten cases of water for our family of three), and those same people have forgotten how to drive because they are checking the latest track while going to get plywood, generators, and batteries (better protect the house but screw the other drivers).

Of course, I am making light of this potentially disastrous situation. It really is potentially scary. It could possibly be life changing for some and life ending for others. I would never belittle people and their fears. What I am saying is step back and really look at what is going on around you. If you have lived in this area for any period of time you have been through big storms. It wasn’t that long ago that we dealt with the trifecta in southeast Polk County of Charlie, Francis, and Gene. It was devastating for some and very inconvenient for others. It cracks me up listening to people talk about those storms and how bad it was. Those same people live in the cities where my family had to travel to so that we could get hot meals from restaurants and gas for the generators we had to use. You see, they were inconvenienced and it sucked but we had no power for over a week and no house for over 9 months but for us it was an adventure that toughened us for the next ones. This is the perspective I look at things through. For some, it was catastrophic, for others it was catastrophic, and for another group it was catastrophic. Three separate regions, three levels of devastation, and each group thought that it was terrible. It is how we each see it.

I guess that is what I am saying in my little piece. This hurricane will damage something. What, we have no idea of knowing. Maybe I will be out of my house for another extended period of time (damn, I hope not), maybe people will lose everything that they treasured, or maybe it will skirt by and we will all be pissed that we wasted our time. Whichever way it goes stop and think for a moment, “Can I move forward?” “Will it be hard?” Probably, but at least you can move on, and “Could it have been worse?” If you can answer yes to these questions you are human and have the power to make your little area better than it was. It truly sucked to have my house devastated. It sucked renting a house for nine months, celebrating my daughter’s birthday while sitting out another hurricane, and driving 50 miles round trip a day to fill up 60 gallons of gas to run the family’s interests. You know what didn’t suck. Coming home to a house that had a new roof, new walls, and being able to go to lock the doors with the same amount of people in the house that were there the day the roof left. Be safe, be smart, and look around. People are trying their best and it’s not our job to tell them how to do it. Fear can be paralyzing but preparation can be their lifesaver.

Oh yeah, the only Irma I’ve ever known was a little girl I went to college with many years ago. This one seems a lot bigger and potentially much meaner than the one I knew. Batten down the hatches and be smart.

Fanatics Pay the Bills -- Spectating is Big Business

As the day nears completion I realized in order to stay consistent I needed to knock out a blog. It’s on the calendar so it must get accomplished. This is not the only thing on the calendar it appears. I think college football has started from the looks of social media and television exposure. Next the NFL will begin in earnest. Not that anyone cares, I am pumped because I am going the MXGP at WW Ranch tomorrow. I will not explain because if you know, you know, and if you don’t you won’t care anyway. Everybody has their thing and mine is definitely not large men scrambling for a pig skin while others create wealth from the damage they enjoy giving themselves and the opponent. I do like pig skins but the pork rind variety. They can be plain, hot, even the salt and vinegar variety are tasty. Crispy, fatty, but hey no carbs.

Sorry, I digressed there. I don’t have a favorite team anymore. When I followed the sports world, I was a fan of FSU because my dad was a UM fan, I couldn’t be a UF fan because everyone else was. It is amazing how many people give money to an institution that they have never attended. Why, but that is for a different day. Peer pressure and coolness are amazing factors. I really liked Texas A&M, because they had this twelfth man thing where an actual walk on was on the kicking team, or something like that. I was young, it was a cool thing. They also had this amazing tradition before the Texas game and this ornate bonfire. Tragedy ended the bonfire and big money probably changed the other. The last team I like was University of Washington. I mean, you must be a bad ass to wear purple and gold. Plus, how cool would it be to tailgate on a boat before a game. I was young, it was cool to sit around and watch games, and I didn’t have other things I cared about.

As I sit here now I really couldn’t tell you anything substantial about the football world. I know UF played Michigan today and lost but I don’t know the score. I think Maryland beat Texas, a billion-dollar athletic program even in defeat, and my dad was frustrated because his beloved Apps were getting throttled by Georgia while I was on the phone with him. I think my father in law was excited for the potential of a great game tonight with FSU vs. Alabama. I understand the excitement and camaraderie. For years we went to multiple Bucs games and did the whole tailgate experience. I’ve been to the swamp and watched the Gator Getters’ do their thing with prospective players. I’ve experienced the joy of victory and the agony of defeat while freezing in Boone. Of course, I’ve experienced the same thing while sweating so much I made a puddle in the old sombrero at Tampa.

I guess my biggest issue with any of this is the time commitment over and over for weeks on end. Plus, how much does the average fan remember after consuming so many beverages there is no need for embalming? I jest, but seriously it is a great question. There are so many other things that I could do besides sit on a couch for several hours each weekend watching other people do stuff. I want to do not watch. Yes, I am going to a race tomorrow to spectate but it is a one-off event that will not happen again at this venue. Apples to oranges so don’t even go there. Why have we become spectators versus doers? Televisions are beautiful now, stadium food is much better than it used to be, but seriously, wouldn’t it be cooler to actually go do something you could control versus watching something that you cannot control no matter how much you drink or yell?

Just my two cents. Don’t worry I rarely miss the big events. With the advent of social media and 24- hour news I get to keep up with scores and stats. You all are awesome at putting your teams results up so if I can just find friends from each major team I am covered for the entire season. I enjoy the barbs towards your opponents, how when your team wins they are going all the way, and when they lose it’s not because they suck or got outplayed. There is always an excuse of some sort that is the cause. Sometimes teams just aren’t as good as you hope they are. Ask any Gator, Longhorn, or Mountaineer tonight.
Keep cheering, keep paying, and wear your team on your sleeve (I guess that fits in with keep paying). All of this is in jest because what I like gets so little press that I get a bit jealous with how easily you can view or attend your favorite thing. Maybe one day I can travel the Supercross circuit, Motocross circuit, or the IMSA circuit so I too can watch my favorite thing each time it happens. Congrats to those that won, there is always next week for those that were defeated, and keep posting pics of that amazing food you prepare for each of these events.

Earn It!! -- The Story of Charles

Relaxation is something that people who work just do not allow themselves to do much anymore. I specified working because if you aren’t gainfully employed, a stay at home mom, retired, or unable to work, you cannot say you are busy and cannot find time to relax. That word, relax, has come to be such a word that just gets thrown around and we have forgotten how important it is to relax so that we can reflect on what we have accomplished. I say this while drinking a nice glass of red wine and typing out the latest blog. The red wine was a suggestion from a good friend, Cliff Coleman. He told me I needed to stop drinking beer, dang it, I really like beer, so I started trying red wine. It is a relaxing endeavor and seemed appropriate tonight. Relaxing was also hard for the focus of tonight’s past player blog. He worked his butt off and today he sees the dividends of that work that was done many years ago.

Charles Garneau was another of the French Canadians that came to FSC to ply their trade as athletes. He was recommended by another player and I was sure that he would fill the void created by losing some great former players. He was French Canadian and the others from the same area had been very productive, great contributors, awesome students, and downright funny human beings. When Charles showed up on the FSC campus he was a tiny thing. My first thought was, “Oh lord, we are going to have Napoleon’s complex with this one,” and he definitely played bigger than his body should have allowed. Immediately he checked off a couple of the important boxes. He was a great contributor with his effort and academics but he was struggling to succeed on the court and he wasn’t as funny as the others. The latter wasn’t super important because he was task driven and stubborn. The stubborn part was a little tough but as you will read a little later was an important part in his overall success. He immediately played in the top six and his freshman year he had some good success in singles and was adequate in doubles play. All was okay, then his sophomore season happened.

As we entered his sophomore season you would expect that the growth that had occurred during his freshman season would have toughened him up as he moved forward. This did not occur and that thing that happens to athletes known as the sophomore slump happened to Charles. He did not perform and at the end of the season had only played four singles matches during the entire season. This would have been great except he was being pushed out of the lineup by walk-ons. He was forcing the issue and was trying to play bigger and bigger which only added to his frustration and my bewilderment. As the season wore on I was getting angrier and angrier and wanted to pull the plug on this little Canadian. Here is where the heart and business do not go well. I loved my athletes as human beings. I recruited them because of various reasons. One reason was because I thought they were bad ass players that could make a difference on the court. Another was that I thought they would be great ambassadors of FSC and their academic prowess would make us a superior program on campus. The last reason was because they were good people and I really like good people. Charles fit all those boxes on paper and had done so well to make that happen his freshman year and then his sophomore year the train just came off the track for the athletic portion. After the season, Charles and I had to have one of the hardest talks you can ever have with someone that you care about. Basically, this was our conversation. “Charles, I recruited you and gave you a scholarship because I thought you would come here and make a difference on this team.” “Do you believe that you have done that this year?” He answered no and then I continued. “I am judged on my wins and losses and when I bring a player in that doesn’t perform that is on me.” After a deep breath, I continued. “At FSC once I recruit you I have you as a player unless you do something stupid. You have done nothing stupid but you have not performed. Do you agree?” He answered and I continued as the words backed up in my throat. “I need to bring in a player that can perform but the only way I can do that is to take away part of your scholarship so that I can free up the money to bring a player to do that.” “Will you please sign this paper that you are okay with having your scholarship cut since you agree you haven’t done what you were brought here to do?” He answered as the anger swelled in his massive heart. You see, the only way that I could cut a scholarship was to have the player agree to it. He agreed, then it was his turn.

“Coach, I cannot afford to be here without the scholarship that you have given me. I am going to go home and work all summer so that I can come back here and play next year. I will prove that I belong here.” I thought that was a great attitude considering the circumstances and felt the pressure in the room pushing me further down in my chair. He continued, “If I prove myself during my junior year would you please allow me to have my scholarship money back during my senior year?” I told him that I would make no promises but if he came back and did what I knew he could do we would sit back down and discuss what was possible. He then stated, “My mom and dad have told me that they would not pay any extra so I will have to work all summer to make the money to come back. I will work at restaurants, construction, teach tennis, or do whatever I have to do.” He signed the paper with tears in his eyes and left the room. I too left the room with tears in my eyes because somehow, I failed to get the best out of him on the court.

When a player tells you they are going to do something it is always dangerous to hold your breath in anticipation that it will really happen. Think about your own life. The idea of accomplishing something big seems appealing, world changing, and could make you feel like a real bad ass. Then the actual work begins and it’s hard. Demanding work is not something many of us strive to do. Well, Charles did the work. I mean he labored. He did everything in his power to earn the money to come back to cover the portion of his scholarship that I had unceremoniously removed from him. He also applied for and became a resident assistant in the dorms for his junior year. When he arrived back on campus for his junior year there was a fire in his eye and pep in his step that had been missing. He worked harder and more deliberately towards all his goals. He earned his spot back on the team in singles and doubles and we sat back down at the end of the season once again. You see, I was supposed to take the money that I took from him and bring in another player. If I was to bring in another player and Charles failed during his junior year he might leave opening more money for me to use the following year to bring in another player. I failed!!! I did not accomplish the task of bringing in another player so that money he so desperately wanted and needed just sat there slapping him in the face. He didn’t throw it in my face and graciously accepted my offer to return his money to him during his senior season. When the reward is earned, it is appreciated and it is honorable to abide by your word.

During his senior season, he became the boss of the team. Not because he was ready to do so but because he was the only player left from the previous squad. Seven of the eight players had graduated leaving only him. I recruited a fresh style squad trying to go more American, which is another story for another time, but it just didn’t work out. Charles had been a great six player and sometimes fit in at number five but during his senior season he had to play number three. He was a skillful player but he was not equipped to play at that level on a day in, day out basis. He took his lumps during the senior year and that squad was the worst performing team I ever coached. We just weren’t that good. We had fun as a team, the guys were awesome, we just didn’t win. This falls squarely on my shoulders and the players gave me everything they had. The best moment of the year as an athlete for Charles was during his last match of the season he was able to pull off a win to end his career on a personal victory. He was also awarded the MVP award because he dealt with so much his senior year it was the only logical thing I could do to honor his efforts. He earned it more for the work he did to get to that point than he ever did as the athlete he was.

Charles graduated but didn’t leave. If you go to the Mortgage Firm in downtown Lakeland you can see him working side by side with one of his former teammates. His work ethic continues to allow him to pursue excellence. Now, he just helps others achieve their dreams. The walls that were put in front of Charles have created a beautiful home that he now resides in with his girlfriend. Well done Charles, well done!

Emulate the Great but be the Best You!

How many of us sing or have sung in the shower? What about driving down the road and your favorite song is blaring on the radio? Of course you have, and if you are one of those who said you haven’t you are a big fibber or a miserable person. This is how I feel about writing. I don’t know if it has a purpose, is on key, or even if the words are right but it makes me feel good. It is fun getting things out of my head and onto the paper. Whether they are read or ignored really doesn’t matter because it is my therapy. If you enjoy it and get something from it that is outstanding. The whole point of that is that I got a random phone call today from an old college buddy. Wait, I’m not supposed to say old. We were former college teammates. Screw it, we are old but we are still kicking. He just called to say hello and tell me that he has been enjoying my writing. Of course, I poked out my chest and got a smile across my face but it was what he stated that really got me. He and another college player are cancer survivors and have been kicking cancers ass for a few years now. They waged a battle, developed a relationship deeper because of it, and have continued to improve. Keep battling boys, it should be the only way you know.

With that intro into tonight’s player there are actually some similarities. He plays because he loves the game and he developed his game for his enjoyment and not because someone told him to play that way. Let’s talk about Lance Francisco a little this evening. A walk-on who taught himself to play tennis with YouTube. These dadgum kids and their technology is amazing. Think about what we could have learned if we had YouTube when we were kids. Heck, what about just a computer?

Lance came for a visit while he was a senior in high school. He was living in the US but was from the Philippines. He came to FSC with his family and we spoke while watching the guys hammer out shots. He just wanted a shot to be on the team and thought he would benefit from being with better players daily. I didn’t see him play live but I watched videos that he had sent me. His strokes were beautiful and his footwork was impeccable. I had visions of taking him from the walk-on to a collegiate level player. He just needed to get beat up more from better guys and learn the skill of match play. He had the strokes but was weak in the match play department and there is no substitute for this skill. The only way of acquiring this necessary skill is to put yourself in the fire repeatedly until you become so hard you cannot break.

So, what do you do when a kid really wants to be a part of a program, you think you can get something out of him, and his strokes look eerily familiar; of course, you tell him to be here in the fall and you give him a shot. Well, he showed up. He roomed with two other freshmen and the adventure began. He started the fall and immediately got injured. So, he kind of hung out and watched a lot. He also had a problem following the trainers’ advice. He thought that he could handle it through his mom and dad and not utilize the services that were supposedly directing his path at this point. He healed up and we finally got to see him hit. The players immediately thought that he was a clone of Roger Federer. You see, those YouTube videos he watched were of Roger and he copied everything that he did to a T. He even played with the same rackets although they were not the right rackets for him. When I stated that his strokes were perfect I wasn’t kidding. The beauty of the swing was flawless it was the actual production and thought process that was flawed. He could hit the best shots because that was what Roger did. The problem is, none of us are him. We can copy the process but until we have put in the same work we cannot produce the excellence on a repetitive basis. For Lance, this was not important. If Roger played this way that was the way he was going to play.

Needless to say, this didn’t help his potential to get into the top 8 traveling squad. Although he didn’t play much his teammates loved him. It was hard not to like him. He was polite, would do anything with you, and didn’t know how to say no. He loved the game and wanted to be around people who also loved it as well. He floundered around the back side of the lineup but he came out for practice, played his challenge matches, and on occasion there were these glimpses of greatness. There were also injuries. A lot of injuries. We had ankles, shoulder, knee, elbow, more ankles, a few more shoulder issues, and I am sure I have forgotten a few. Nevertheless, he kept coming out and putting in the best effort he could. He didn’t really get the match experience which contributed to him not growing further in the lineup but there was one night of greatness and it is a memory that I will never forget because I saw the true meaning of teammates that night.

It was Spring Break and for a tennis player in college that just means matches. There are no trips to the beach or drunken parties. At least, there are not supposed to be. This particular Spring Break I had made a couple of ruthless days and needed all hands-on deck to get through it. We played a match at home in the morning and then after a quick shower and lunch loaded up in the van and headed towards Melbourne for a late afternoon match. In essence, we were playing a traveling double header. The second match was against another DII foe from the north. Bloomsburg was not going to be our strongest competition so I subbed in some of the lower guys to give them a chance to shine. After jumping out to a quick lead in doubles we made the decision to sub out one more player. The player that had the first dibs on going in the lineup bowed out which meant that Lance was getting his shot. Instantaneously the nerves appeared and he wobbled out to the court to begin. The first set looked like he had never competed a day in his life and he lost the set 3-6. The guys who weren’t playing would give him a cheer and try to keep him pumped up but you could tell he was uncomfortable. As the second set began he started loosening up and Roger began appearing. The opponent’s arrogance also gave Lance a boost and the second set went to Lance 6-3. This is where the magic happened. All the other matches had concluded and we were up 8-0. Lance’s match would determine if it was a clean sweep or not. Now, let’s make a picture of this story. Tennis courts predominantly run north/south. Imagine all of Lance’s teammate sitting on the south bleachers. The opponent’s teammates were in the bleachers on the east side. The other coach and myself had excused ourselves and were hanging back watching the magic that was about to ensue. Since the match was decided the third set would be the infamous super tiebreak. The first to score ten points would win the set and the match. With every point, it felt like a session at the US Open. The lights were on, the atmosphere was electric, and after every point the teammates were hanging off the fences cheering on their respective player. As the tiebreak continued it was hard to tell who was going to crack first. Lance was playing out of his mind and at one point had a match point. Roger disappeared and it was just Lance. He went for it but he just missed. His teammates thought he might have pulled it off and the crowd went wild. He just missed and in the next few points the match went to the opponent. The crowd cheered for both and that was it. The team won 8-1 and Lance won the hearts of his teammates for an amazing performance.

Although Lance lost that night he endeared himself to me and his teammates. He was visually nervous at the outset, visually upset at the conclusion, and in the middle, he cared more than he cared about anything at that moment. This was his opportunity. We were at dinner that evening and he thanked me for the opportunity and told me it was a night that he would never forget. I have never let anybody know until now that I cried after he told me that. You see, I was hard on Lance. I always wanted more, prodded him, potentially tortured him, and he was thanking me for an opportunity that in the end he was defeated. His class will never be forgotten. Lance is a senior this year and still has some growing to do. I know he will figure it out and if he doesn’t know the answer there are some amazing tutorials on YouTube I am sure he can check out.

My Brain Just Won't Let Go of This Word

For some reason, I cannot get the word consistency off my brain recently. As I sit here at 9:38pm tonight to pen this little piece that word echoes almost as loudly as the Spotify playlist coming from the laptop speakers. I don’t want to be sitting here at 9:38pm writing this but due to consistency I am here. It is something that I have lacked previously and to create the habit of good consistency I am having to write this now. I could have easily decided to do it tomorrow or just skip it all together and I would still have been consistent. This was the norm when I decided to write before. I let other things take precedence and allowed others consistency to dictate my behaviors. When you actually give a damn about something it becomes frustrating when you allow it to not happen. I’ve been there multiple times throughout the period in my life that I can recall.

When I wake up in the morning I know what I am going to be doing. The consistency, although mundane and not always the most fun things, brings a clarity that is peaceful. For twelve years I knew my days and nights like clockwork. Recently, I have changed my direction career wise and although the mornings are still the same the work day is considerably different. Consistency is still there but the structure is different. Learning new things has never been something I have shied away from throughout my life. I guess I have been consistent with that part of my life. The lack of consistency has come from my unwillingness to really master each craft and becoming an expert in that field. Comfort and ease of use were the norms and when boredom, which was self-imposed, arose the learning desire ceased to exist. Since I made the decision to make this career change I also had to make a different commitment as well. You see, I have chosen to go into the family business and let me tell you, they are good at it. That being said, I have been in family businesses most of my working career but not under the direction of the family in such a direct form. I was a school teacher, as was my mom and my wife. I was a college tennis coach, like my dad was for a very long time. I had the opportunity to work under his direction for a few years but then spread my wings and did it my way. I am now in the family business with my wife and we work under the brokerage of my father in law and mother in law. They are awesome and have built an incredible business. Michelle has been with them now for five years so I am now the rookie. The excitement and desire to do remarkable things is on the front of my mind everyday but I still have the doubts of consistency that plague my thoughts.

When you wake up tomorrow turn on your TV and watch the news. Get on your favorite social media outlet. Pay attention to your drive to work. You will see the most amazing things. The television news is consistently about the worst possible things that could possibly be happening in your area, the country, and around the world. Now, go talk to the general public and just talk to them. Things aren’t really that bad. Look through your social media feed. The same people who have a shitty day tomorrow will be pissed off at something else or someone the next hour or day. The people who are goofy today will be goofy tomorrow. If you pay attention during your drive and are consistent in your times you will pass the same buses, see the same cars, and might even catch the same lights. Consistency is around us all the time. It is comfort and it’s what keeps many of us from moving on with our life. Maybe I am the only one that feels this way. Maybe I’m the only one who gets pissed because I allow my consistency of complacency to hold me back from being consistently uncomfortable and growing because of it. In my humble opinion if we wouldn’t give so much credence to what is shoved down our throats from our multiple outlets we might think there is more to be had instead of protecting what we safely hold. If we allowed ourselves to see what was possible by thinking a bit more about the positive future and the wants that we have always desired instead of the naysayers telling us it won’t work we might surprise ourselves. I always get a kick out of people when you tell them about something that interests you. It’s either too dangerous, too expensive, not possible, or you can’t find the right people. They are right. They won’t. That doesn’t mean you cannot. It is truly up to you.

What are you going to consistently allow in your brain? You get to decide every minute of every hour of every day. If you really want it there is a way. It may be hard, heck it probably will be hard, but I promise that if you truly want it there will be a reward for doing it. There are guys that I went to high school with and I have watched them, thanks to social media (kind of ironic isn’t it), grow things, sell them, and create more things. I have watched people embrace their careers and take them until the end of their working days. I have seen people love what they do. They pursue or pursued excellence in their chosen tasks consistently. This is something that more of us should follow. Find the positive examples and leave the bitchin’ and moanin’ to the talking heads in the media and those “friends” on social media who are absolutely miserable and need us to help them feel worse.

Hopefully there is a consistent message in here and you will consistently pursue your excellence on a daily basis. I know that I have now stuck my cocky neck out and must consistently be better than I was yesterday. This transition will not only be painful to you but to those around you. We all like those who stay with us. Once we try to better ourselves we become weird, different, or fanatical. The consistency of these emotions will never change.

There is a podcast guy that I listen to whose name is Grant Cardone. He finishes all his podcast with this: “Be Great Because Nothing Else Pays!” Go be consistently better each day and see what happens.

Oh Wait You're Not German---It's Not How You Speak that Makes You Who You Are!

Today was a big day across the US. We had spots that had a total eclipse of the sun and then other places with a partial eclipse. It is amazing how one person can have such a wonderful experience and the person beside them thinks it should be more or was expecting something completely different. Tonight, I will write about a player who had the same effect on me as the eclipse did on some of the population today. Guenther Fercher was an Austrian player who I inherited when I took over at Florida Southern. He was a tall guy, somewhat goofy in my mind, but a damn smart and caring person.

When I came to FSC I was excited to walk in to a team that had three Germans. Although they were stubborn, I had seen what German players from my past could do and their work ethic was second to none. There was only one problem, I only had two Germans. Guenther spoke German, I made a large assumption, and learned that he was not what I thought but that he was Austrian. Although I had his nationality wrong, I truly think he was German and just didn’t want to believe it. His best friend was German, his mentality was German, and he was stubborn, just like a German.

My first impression of Goony, the nickname that was given to him by Ray Duyungan, was that he was just a goofy dude. You see, I coached against Guenther when I was at Webber. He and his partner, Roman, destroyed my doubles team. Roman and Guenther were about 6’4”, tall, lanky, and the epidemy of business on the court. Guenther had goggle glasses and a weird way of carrying himself. Needless to say, they destroyed us that day but left an impression that I would soon have to work through. Fast forward one year and now he was my player. The goggle glasses were gone, replaced with a more standard looking pair, he was still tall, but now he was my player and he was good. I mean, massively skilled when the practice court called. There were not many guys on the team that could play at the level he could pull off during the early hot fall practices. Speaking of hot weather, when it came to fall training he was a machine. His weird stride and long legs made the lake runs a breeze. He would also almost glide up the hills and the sprints were a piece of cake for him. With that great speed and effort came a massive amount of perspiration. I don’t mean that he sweat like an athlete I mean he sweat like someone followed him around with a hose and just left it on. He would leave puddles at the bench, he would leave wet spots from water coming out of his shoes, and from what I was told, he would have to hang his clothes up outside of his apartment because if he didn’t they would stink too badly.

Guenther is one of the few players that I coached that had a one-handed backhand. It was flat, penetrating, and a true weapon. On the deuce court in doubles he would create some of the nastiest inside out angles with his one-handed backhand. For a long time, I would give him grief because I just thought he was lucky. He proved to me multiple times that he could pull this shot off pretty much at will. With the style that he played there was also much risk. He played so flat that he didn’t have much room for error. When things got tight he would switch from his aggressive style to a more conservative game which included more slices from the backhand side. I prodded, poked, and at times got angry because he would retreat into his shell and stay comfortable. He was so good but just didn’t believe he could pull off those laser beam shots over and over.

Winning is what we are judged on in the competitive world. Being a good person is just a bonus but not a necessity. Guenther did his share of winning but probably could have done more. He was so good at tennis but was even better academically. He graduated early from FSC and stayed and played one more year while doing his MBA. He also helped coach and was a beast as an assistant coach. I remember one day we had split squad running test. The first group killed it and the second group half-assed it a bit. Guenther and Roman were not satisfied and had the second group do the run again. In an amazing twist, the second group completed the run. This little run was a three-mile Indian run and it just happened to be in the rain. The motivation that he and Roman administered was good. They were just such hard workers in the classroom and on the court that they expected the same thing from teammates. Guenther and I didn’t always see eye to eye but my respect for him will never waiver. I know he gave me everything he had even if at times, I wanted more. Sometimes you can get it out and at other times you take what you can get and use that to help the others around him. After college Guenther returned to Europe and has worked in the financial world. He knew what he was good at and stayed within those bounds. It was a pleasure having him as a Moc and now it is a pleasure to speak about the person he has become.