Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

Kirsten,
I think it is fair to say that Kirsten has made the most of her college experience.  To say that she is an active member of the Saint Mary’s University student body would be to understate the obvious.  She is an excellent student, an active member of two choirs (as well as a number of other musical activities), active in a number of student organizations, fully involved in student ministry and, oh yeah, she is a killer varsity athlete on the tennis team as well.  Are you keeping up?  It’s a bit tricky to do, but she has always managed to do just that.  Frankly, when we would sit down to fit all the pieces into place so she could get her tennis in her schedule, I would marvel at all the balls she was keeping in the air!  But she did it, and never dropped a ball…
    
I have to be the first to admit that Kirsten found us; I think I’m pretty good at the recruiting game after all these years, but sometimes a player gets missed.  Fortunately in the case of Kirsten, she did her homework when looking for schools and she found us!  I quickly surmised in her initial campus visit that she would be able to step in to my lineup immediately her freshmen year…I do not get many walk-ons of that caliber, so I was understandably excited!  Then when she arrived in the fall and won the #1 position on the team, I couldn’t believe my luck!  I’m still pinching myself as her collegiate tennis career winds to a close.  Now I think Kirsten would have to admit that she didn’t really know just how tough the MIAC could be until she was in the midst of her 1st season.  Let’s just call it a baptism of fire!  But she toughed it out and forged an excellent partnership in doubles with her buddy, Katie Krull, along the way.  After taking a sabbatical her sophomore year (one too many balls in the air if you know what I mean!), she returned to us her junior year and had an excellent season. She played some of her best tennis (including beating an NAIA All American along the way), and she and Katie renewed their partnership and had an excellent season.  And as we speak, as senior and captain, she has helped the Saint Mary’s University women’s tennis team to one of the best season’s in program history, playing #2 singles and #1 doubles (with Laura Sonday this time…except for one cameo win with Katie early in the season!).  I would say that despite all the many balls Kirsten juggles, she has made the most of her tennis experience and been a vital part of our recent success.
So on behalf of everyone on the team, coaches and players alike, I want to thank Kirsten for all she has done.  I will miss her riding shotgun with me to the away matches (she has done it so many times she has heard most of my stories twice by now!), texting me to say she is on her way from wherever she currently is “but I’ve got my gear with me in the car so I’ll be ready to go!” (okay, so she never dropped a ball, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a challenge to keep them all going sometimes!) and her occasional frazzled look when physically she was practicing forehands but mentally she was trying to get that last math problem out of her head or choir song unstuck from her tongue!  No worries, she always got down to business and played beautiful tennis for the Cardinals…now that’s birdstuff!  Kirsten has put in a great deal of effort in her college career to prepare herself to be an excellent teacher (not just in the math classroom but hopefully on the court as a coach as well!), and it is my belief that she will be a great success.  As they say, if you prepare for success, you will likely achieve just that.  All the best, Kirsten.  I am certain you have an awesome future ahead of you.  I am so thankful you were a part of our tennis Birdhouse!           

Collin,
I am under some pressure here, as Collin knows me too well.  He likes to try and predict what I am going to do or say and he is often right… for instance, he is expecting me to call him a warrior… it is a cliché without a doubt, but it does seem appropriate.  He is also likely to expect that I will make a comment about his picky eating habits ala pizza, oatmeal, donuts and chicken strips.  Well I can’t look past that entirely because it is part of what makes Collin, well, Collin… how he survived in England for 12 days is still a hot topic among coaches, friends and team mates.  But let me start with this…
Collin is a very loyal and dedicated person.  When he commits to something, he truly commits.  He loves the Badgers, the Dolphins and he loves Cardinal Tennis.  Now he is an all-in kind of guy, so when the Badgers lose, you know it.  And when he loses or the tennis team loses, you know it.  And though I always want him to keep things in perspective (losing a tennis match vs. world hunger for example), I really love how much he cares.  He HATES losing.  It is said that the best athletes tend to hate losing more than they love winning, and I believe that is true of Collin.  However, that does not cover it all.  Collin’s commitment to the team is often in ways that most people do not see.  Like the amount of personal time he spent outside of practice working to improve his game, or to help a fellow Cardinal Tennis Player to improve (right Megan?), or to help Coach Duden and myself with recruiting.  He just wants to help his team.  And I appreciate that so very much.   
    
As a player, yes, Collin is a warrior.  I was told by a good friend and fellow tennis pro, Jon Schaff that I should consider recruiting him, and so I drove up to Green Bay to check him out.  Now even Collin will admit that he didn’t have his best day on court, and that may have made him worry.  What he didn’t know, however, is that Jon had told me “his game isn’t classic, but don’t be fooled.  You can’t teach fight, and this kid is a real fighter.  You definitely want him on your team.”  Well I trust Jon and therefore I wasn’t terribly concerned about one iffy drill session…and over these past four years, I have never once had a question that decision.  Collin’s commitment on the tennis court is absolute.  He cannot always guarantee victory, but he will always put forth his best effort for his team.  What more could a coach ask for?
    
By the time you read this Collin will likely be second all-time in career singles wins for Saint Mary’s University.  That is no small feat, as he had to do so in one of the best conferences in the country, playing either 1 or 2 singles in his final three seasons.  He also achieved MIAC All Conference in doubles his junior year, teaming with Tim Wolford to be one of the best doubles teams in the region…and that despite the fact that they went in to every match more confident of breaking their opponent’s serve than holding serve themselves!  Remarkable and unique!
    
Let me end with this … Collin, I am so glad you chose Saint Mary’s.  You may complain about a free breakfast (especially if there are no donuts and the oatmeal is too runny), or what we are doing at practice today (just remember that I often didn’t know who was all going to be there or how many courts we would get per day, which are kind of important to preparation), or that there was NOTHING to eat in England (but I am SO glad you went on the trip anyway), but for me that was part of the fun of coaching you.  You always kept me on my toes, and I never had to question your effort or just how much you cared.  Thank you for everything Collin.  You will be missed more than you know.
P.S.: I still expect for you to be recruiting players for me in GB!

Blake,
Blake, Blake, Blake. Where do I start? It has been truly a privilege to get to know you because there is so much to what makes Blake who he is.  He loves to talk politics (and wears t shirts to prove it).  He is an art major but you would swear he would be in Political Science.  He loves the Gophers and the Vikings.  He is knowledgable about sports (don’t argue with him unless you are prepared to back up your statements because he will back up his own) and he loves talking tennis…now if I could just get him to relax and think on a tennis court (more on that later)!
    
When Blake came to Saint Mary’s his freshman year, his talent was clear, but he had started his tennis journey a little late, so he needed time to hone his weapons.  He had a big kick serve, a huge forehand (though a little unpredictable at times), great athleticism, but had a tendency to want to play the perfect point all the time.  Over time, he has been able to improve on his game, especially his backhand and net game, and consequently has become a major contributor to his team’s success.  I’ll never forget his doubles match at St. John’s his junior year.  He and Brenden were caught up in a titanic battle, with breaks of serve and leads switching several times.  Now Blake, in his efforts to play beautiful tennis, now and then can make the odd silly error (is that a fair assessment bud?), but he is also able to pull off the spectacular at times.  In this case I will never forget the huge backhand overhead you hit on break point that led you and Brenden to victory that day…how you got that much power on a BACKHAND overhead still boggles the mind…and at such a critical point in the match too!   I also remember a match you played away at Concordia of Wisconsin.  Maybe not a huge match in your catalogue of memories, but it always stood out to me because you were just ON that day.  The Concordia player was a solid opponent with a good serve…and you absolutely destroyed him.  Everything that came off your racquet has a winner or forced an error or weak reply.  I remember Duden and I just standing back in awe as you reduced your opponent to rubble.  What fun.
Now you have given me some challenges over the years.  There have been some tough losses no doubt, but even there I just look back with fond memories.  Life throws up challenges and you had your share on the tennis court, but I will always look back to all our post match talks with a smile.  You would rant and rave about your failings and I would try and keep your thoughts on track and keep perspective on the whole thing (we had a number of these talks over the years so I have to stay general here), but what I really loved about the whole thing is that you deeply cared about tennis.  You always wanted to do your best for your team and I always appreciated that.  Even in the midst of your frustration I was always mindful of the passion you had for the game…and how much you cared about helping your team win.  I can ask players for effort, but I cannot make them care.  They either do or they don’t.  You always cared, and I thank you for that.
    
I will end with a few fond memories: of the occasional kick serve to the add side that went over your opponent’s head, of your tendency to make a face in EVERY picture we took (don’t believe me folks?  Just look at his individual mug shot for his senior year…yup, that slightly cross eyed look, TOTALLY intentional!), of our countless talks about tennis over the years (remember, 85% on the backhand side…and winning a point by out rallying your opponent IS good tennis), of your odd-couple friendship with your fellow seniors (totally different personalities…and yet it worked in its bizarre fashion), of all the fun we had in England (yeah, yeah, sure, sure) and your AWESOME senior year mullet.  Thanks for everything Blake!  It was a truly wonderful journey!

Warren,
    Warren is a person that you cannot generalize about.  You could call him steady and steadfast (I can always count on Warren to be there for me when the chips are down).  Yet you could also call him goofy and unpredictable (you should see what he wore on our costumed mixed doubles night…or some of the unbelievable drop volleys he has pulled off over the years).  There is no one quite like Warren…
When Warren came to us from Stewarville High School, we knew we had a great athlete on our hands with huge potential.  The only thing really missing from his game was experience.  As he had taken to tennis a little late because of his baseball career, he understandably had a need for more top level match experience before he would be ready for MIAC success, but I always knew it was just matter of time.  Now if Warren has a fault in his game, it would be that he can be a slow starter at times.  His easy going attitude can sometimes delay the competitive fire he has burning within him from getting to full flame, but believe me, it is there.  I have numerous stories about Warren’s success over the years (like he and Brenden winning doubles matches despite giving their opponents an early lead EVERY time…your killing me boys!) but I will share two in particular because they were so very unique to Warren.  The first is his singles match last year against St. John’s.  Now, at that point, Saint Mary’s had NEVER beaten St. John’s in a tennis dual match, and as the match wore down that day, it was clear to Warren that his #6 singles match would likely be the decider.  We had had some talks earlier in the season about his tendency to start a little slow before his competitive fires kicked in.  He knew he needed to start quickly against St. John’s … and he did.  Not just fast, mind, he was up 6-0, 3-0 in about 15 minutes … I’m not kidding.  He was utterly AWESOME, and against a very tough opponent.  Now credit to his SJU opponent, he gave a little fight back and in the end Warren had to fight like a tiger to finish him off 6-4 in the second, but he DID finish him off…and gave us our first victory over St. John’s ever.  Very cool.     The second match was more recent and ironically we still ended up losing a very close contest 4-5 to Concordia.  But it stands out because I did something to Warren that as a rule I never do to any of my players.  My mantra has always been, “I cannot expect you to play your best every day, but I DO expect you to try your hardest every time you step on a court for this team.  Never let an opponent outfight you.”  But on that day against Concordia, it quickly became apparent that Warren’s match was a must win if we were going to have a chance…and he had just lost the first set.  And so I broke my rule and told him at the set break: “I don’t care if you have to bight, claw or scratch, but you have to find a way Warren.  Your team needs this point.  You have to win.  Period.”  And his response?  He just smiled and said, “okay coach.”  And then he went out a won the second set and a 13-11 third set super breaker, holding off a few match points along the way.  That was truly awesome Warren.  Truly.
    
Now any person loves to feel appreciated for the efforts they put in, and I hope that Warren knows how much his team mates, Coach Duden and myself appreciate how much he has done for us.  Not just all those on-court efforts (like coming from 1-9 down in a super breaker to win…what???!!!), but for being the steadfast and steady friend and team mate that everyone could count on.  And for being that person that is conscious of the needs of others… I don’t know how many times Warren has come and put his arm across my shoulder and said, “you’re the best, coach.”  Well, I don’t know if I am the best, buddy, but it means the world to me that you think so, because having your respect is not something I take lightly.  I am honored.  And I am truly thankful for all you have done these past four years.  It has been and honor and a privilege to be your coach.

Garen,
It has recently come to light…through some honest admissions on Garen’s part, that had I known some interesting facts about his senior high school season, I might have pondered as to whether I wanted this young man on our team (there was nothing illegal or dreadful, mind, just interesting…).  Well I cannot say as it is ancient history, but I can say without a doubt that I am glad Garen joined us in the fall of 2012  
Garen came to us with a giant serve, big whippy forehand…and fragile ankles.  As a matter of fact, had it not been for his ankles, he might have progressed to where he is today a bit sooner.  Ah well, we cannot have all things go our way, but I am pleased to say that Garen never let his numerous setbacks and ice bags deter him.  He stayed with us through thick and thin, working on his backhand (and his patience), and became a truly tough tennis player.  Now I think he has felt doomed to be the guy who can play amazing tennis (or Money for that matter!) in practice, only to implode when he steps on to the court for an official match with the Cardinals.  However, I would argue that would be a touch unfair.  After all, when you are playing in a conference that is ranked 4th in the country out of 44 conferences nationwide, you have to know that ANY win is going to be tough to come by.  Garen, when he is playing with confidence, can absolutely pummel his opponents with heavy serves and monster forehands, and ankles apart, has turned himself into a truly gifted player.
    
Now, when it comes to fashion sense, I am not sure that gifted is the word I would use.  Creative, bold, interesting, bizarre, unique, yes…gifted, well, not so much.  Some of the outfits that Garen has stepped on a practice court with over the years have been truly memorable.  I am actually quite distressed that I didn’t catalogue some of these beauties on my iPhone over the years so that I could play them for you all now.  Some would make you chuckle, and some would leave you speechless, but they would give you, in their sum total, the sense of what Garen gave to this team, and that is a fun and interesting perspective on the world.  Now Garen would have you believe that I couldn’t stand his fashion sense, and it is true that I gave him stick about it on many an occasion.  But I can only defend myself, Garen, with the following comparison.  As a Manchester United fan, buddy, it is my DUTY to give stick to Liverpool fans.  I don’t actually hate the Scousers (and some United fans truly do), but half the fun of being a soccer fan is giving stick to rival fans.  I would simply have been remiss to have let you wear some of the outfits you chose (United gear not included of course) and NOT have said SOMETHING.
I will miss Garen for all our United talks (even if he does actually LIKE City too), for his amazing Money skills, all his bizarre outfits, his love for all things to do with Spring Break Tennis, and his steadfast devotion to our tennis team.  You are a good man, Mr. Merritt, thank you so much for being a part of the Cardinal Tennis Family!  Cheers!

Finally …
I feel it is necessary to say a thank you to Tim Wolford as well.  Though circumstances prevented our 6th year senior from finishing his career with the four amigos, I want to wish him well in all his future endeavors.  Despite a horrendous injury midway through his sophomore year, Tim put in a monumental effort to return to fitness, and, deciding hockey may no longer be in his best interest after such a serious injury, put all his efforts toward his tennis.  Tim is a truly gifted athlete, and by his junior tennis season, he is without doubt the best player that ever put on a Cardinal Tennis uniform.  So on behalf of Coach Duden and myself, I want to thank Tim for all his efforts for Cardinal Tennis.  He was a joy to watch in full flight on a tennis court, and a truly entertaining individual to be around…yeah, yeah, sure, sure.  All the best in future Tim!
   
In a similar way, I also want to say a huge thank you to Katie Krull.  Katie was a top recruit for the tennis team in her freshman year.  She had suffered a serious knee injury in the spring of her senior year in high school (I’ll never forget the phone call I got from her when she broke the news to me), but she told me then that she would be READY to play come the following January.  True to her word, she was cleared to play early in the season and had a strong season despite being hampered by a knee brace.  Now when Katie came to Saint Mary’s, she made a request that as far as I know had never happened before.  She asked if she could play two sports…in the same season.  Now normally I would have been hesitant, but you have to know Katie…she has a unique internal drive and selflessness that really helps her to thrive in team sports.  She always wins the respect and admiration of her teammates in any sport she plays.  So Jen Miller and I decided to share her, and I believe that it was a unique and rewarding experience for all of us.  And so she did just that in her freshman and sophomore seasons … played tennis and softball at the same time.
When it came time for her junior season, Katie let me know that it is a career dream of hers to be a softball coach, and she thought that in order to do that, she should hang up her racquet and concentrate on the bat and glove (and all the wonderful teaching she was experiencing under Jen Miller and Caroline Bray).  Though I was disappointed to lose her, I understood and wished her well…and then a funny thing happened.  When the spring came around, we had a little shake up in the tennis team and two of our players decided not to play anymore.  But what could have been a real problem was quickly remedied…by none other than Katie.  She heard of our dilemma and without hesitation approached me and said she didn’t want to let her tennis team mates down and would like to help.  And so, for a third season, she played softball AND tennis and did an amazing job.  I will forever hold Katie in very high regard for the selfless effort she put forth for this team (like the day she drove herself to Saint Ben’s after softball practice so she could compete for us in a conference match 3 ½ hours away!).  So on behalf of myself, Coach Duden and ALL your current and former team mates, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You are a truly classy person, Katie, and I wish nothing but the best for you!