Fall tennis can drag, but it’s still a part of the season taken seriously by the coaching staff.

By Blake Dowson
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The fall season for the Iowa men’s tennis team can drag on. Long hours on the court and in the weight room can make the days creep slowly.

But for the players, the thought of spring competition keeps them motivated.

“I just think about playing in the spring,” sophomore Josh Silverstein said. “I loved dual season, and I think about what accomplishments we can make in the spring all the time.”

For head coach Ross Wilson, how his players perform during the fall season plays a big part in his lineup decisions in the spring.

Once competition finally starts at the end of September, the Hawkeyes will have plenty of opportunities against good players.

“This team is so competitive,” Wilson said. “They have personal goals for the fall with where they want to be in the lineup. It’s a good time to impress us coaches with some ranked wins.”

Fall is the time players get to work on their game the most. Longer off-periods means more time on the practice court working on their games.

Tweaks that take a little longer are easier to implement during the fall, which, Silverstein said, is invaluable.

“You can change your game a lot more during the fall,” Silverstein said. “I want to become more offensive this year.”

The fall also presents a special opportunity for the freshmen who just got onto campus.

Junior tennis and college tennis are two completely different animals, and the learning curve can be a struggle.

Fall practices and tournaments give the young guns the chance to see what it takes to compete at the college level.

“The freshmen have to learn what it’s like here,” Silverstein said. “I had help from the older guys last year, and I want to do the same for the freshmen this year.”

With so much time on the practice courts with the team before competition starts, the guys look forward to seeing fresh faces on the other side of the net.

You hear about fights breaking out in NFL training camps because the players get tired of going up against the same guys every day.

The same can be true on the tennis court.

“You see that a little bit,” Wilson said. “That’s how men compete; they jaw at each other. That’s OK, though. I like that. It’s good for the new guys, to see how it’s going to be.”

The fall gives players a unique glimpse into life after college tennis, as well. With the lack of dual matches, players have to motivate and play for themselves. For players with dreams of playing professional tennis, the fall season gives them good exposure to that.

While the fall season is important for the Hawkeyes, make no mistake — they cannot wait until spring rolls around.

“Spring is the best,” senior Dom Patrick said. “Everyone travels together, and we’re not split up at meets. We get closer as a team.”

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