2008 Woodie Awards
Playing without a home court
Unusual practice times, young rosters leave many unknowns for the 2008 season
Frankie Guros
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Sports
Every morning during the week, 11 women's tennis players bundle up and wait for a bus in front of the Pacific Athletic Center at 5:00 a.m. Their practice slot is from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Each night, the seven men's players get picked up at 8 p.m and get on the bus for their 9 p.m. practice. They get back at midnight.
"Personally, it makes for a long day," said Brian Jackson, head men's tennis coach. "I arrive at school at 6:30 a.m. each morning."
This odd practice schedule exists for one reason: there are no longer any tennis courts at Pacific University.
The tennis courts were demolished last year in favor of the new residence hall, currently under construction on the corner of University and Main.
Without an on-site facility, the tennis teams are practicing at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Beaverton. The courts there will also serve as the home site for matches.
Although the courts are sufficient enough to practice on, they are not ideal for matches because there is limited seating for spectators, according to Jackson.
The women, who favored the early time slot at the beginning of the year, are still adjusting to their pre-dawn workouts.
"They show up, dragging and tired, in the mornings," said Sandy Gary, head women's tennis coach. "I have to admit, though, after ten or fifteen minutes of warming up, they're there hustling and working hard. I can't ask for any more. "
The tiresome routine will most certainly affect the performance of the individuals and the team, admitted both coaches, but how much it will factor in will be seen in the long run.
"I'd like to be an optimistic. They're young; the more experience they get, the better they'll be. With everything we're going through, there's lots of unknowns," said Gary.
Both teams can only go up from their performance last year. The men finished the season without a win, going 0-16. The women's did one better, finishing the year 1-17. Their single win was their first in two years.
Each night, the seven men's players get picked up at 8 p.m and get on the bus for their 9 p.m. practice. They get back at midnight.
"Personally, it makes for a long day," said Brian Jackson, head men's tennis coach. "I arrive at school at 6:30 a.m. each morning."
This odd practice schedule exists for one reason: there are no longer any tennis courts at Pacific University.
The tennis courts were demolished last year in favor of the new residence hall, currently under construction on the corner of University and Main.
Without an on-site facility, the tennis teams are practicing at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Beaverton. The courts there will also serve as the home site for matches.
Although the courts are sufficient enough to practice on, they are not ideal for matches because there is limited seating for spectators, according to Jackson.
The women, who favored the early time slot at the beginning of the year, are still adjusting to their pre-dawn workouts.
"They show up, dragging and tired, in the mornings," said Sandy Gary, head women's tennis coach. "I have to admit, though, after ten or fifteen minutes of warming up, they're there hustling and working hard. I can't ask for any more. "
The tiresome routine will most certainly affect the performance of the individuals and the team, admitted both coaches, but how much it will factor in will be seen in the long run.
"I'd like to be an optimistic. They're young; the more experience they get, the better they'll be. With everything we're going through, there's lots of unknowns," said Gary.
Both teams can only go up from their performance last year. The men finished the season without a win, going 0-16. The women's did one better, finishing the year 1-17. Their single win was their first in two years.
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