Thursday, March 6, 1986/The Battalion/Page 11
Aggies' Kent a slave to his profession
s
By CAROLYN VEIGA
Reporter
Texas A&M Men’s Tennis Coach
^avid Kent — a few grunts are ut-
tred from his players’ mouths when
fey hear the name, but this 50-year-
H sun-beaten charmer has brought
ack dedication and competitiveness
D Aggie tennis.
; "I hate to lose,” Kent says. “I just
n’t stand to
K it. I’ve got
)be the win-
Men’s Tennis
on
ff
5
ISS1C
— Dallii
ch6
)-7)
j p.m.
p.m.
h8
er in everything I’m involved in —
rhether it’s in tennis or something
ft. And that’s what I expect from
ly players.”
rThis is Kent’s eighth season as the
i&M men’s coach, and he says his
■1 to win the Southwest Confer-
nce will keep him coaching the Ag-
ies lor many more seasons.
■I want to win the SWC,” Kent
ays “I also want to win the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Asso-
ktion). I love to compete, and I
Hit our team to reach No. 1.”
Kent, a native of Amarillo, has
■n coaching tennis for 28 years,
le received a four-year tennis schol-
Iship to Texas Tech and earned a
|egree in business administration.
After brief employment at an in-
Hment company, Kent realized
hat he didn’t enjoy the business
Hid. He taught a few business
otirses while coaching tennis for
Harillo and Midland high schools
Hn 1958 to 1969.
Kent earned a master’s in educa-
iion and political science from West
Has State University in 1969,
*hile coaching high school tennis.
I He accepted a coaching position
or the men’s and women’s tennis
HnsatWTSU in 1970.
I Bobby Kleinecke, currently the
V&M women’s tennis coach, was one
ifKent’s pupils at WTSU.
ilKleinecke is a great tennis play-
:r,” Kent says. “He was one of my
nost energetic players. He’s taught
ne a lot as a coach — as much as I
aught him about playing tennis. We
omplement each other.
Kent, who is known for his short
piper, admits he isn’t an easy man
■biease when it comes to tennis.
Kleinecke says, “Coach Kent is a
iard person to play for. He realizes
I— he’s a competitor — a big one.
Lent is always expecting his players
tpecting
ibe him
as a hard-
Moody
net Tex.
' held at
ays
1 n H™ 1 1,(1 ° e
7:30 P J lose.”
rKccording to Kleinecke, Kent’s
"domineering personality pushes his
Byers to work harder so they’ll
ichieve their best.
[ Dean Goldfine, a member of the
No. 18 men’s team, says, “Coach
lient has changed my entire game
t lost MHtegy. He’s forced me to become a
nore aggressive player.”
Team Captain Russ Simmons says
jfent has built the team’s stamina
Ihd has taught the players to push
larder to win a match.
But Kent says he is dissatisfied
irith his quick temper 1 when coach
ing his players.
If I could change anything right
now, I’d throw away my temper,”
Kent says. “I know I’m not easy to
Base. Even though none of my
coaches in the past were as hard as I
am, I still have this drive in me. I
cannot accept defeat.
“Maybe it’s because I’m so short,
monly 5 feet 8 inches tall. I guess I
lad to run faster and work so much
larder than the bigger guys when I
was in sports.”
[However, Kent says his stamina
and determination have made him
reach new heights.
Kent says he came to A&M in
1978 when friends encouraged him
to visit A&M after completing his
eighth season at WTSU.
“When I came to A&M, it was love
at first sight,” Kent recalls. “It’s a
great place to coach, and the people
couldn’t be nicer.
“I told my wife that if I didn’t get
A&M Coach David Kent (left) offers advice to
Dean Goldfine during last weekend’s matches
Photo by BRIAN PEARSON
against Trinity. A&M starts play in the 24-team
H.E.B. tournament today in Corpus Christi.
to go to A&M, she’d have to bury me
in the front yard.”
Kent says he can’t wait to go to
work in the morning because tennis
has become an inseparable part of
his life.
“If there was one word to sum me
up, it’d be ‘workaholic’ — coaching
tennis is all 1 think about,” Kent says.
“A man told me once that if a
brain surgeon opened up my head,
he’d pull out a giant tennis ball.”
Kent says his hectic workdays in
volve afternoon practice, attending
tournaments and recruiting new
players.
Recruits are nationally ranked on
draw sheets by the United States
Tennis Association. Players compete
in tournament circuits either as indi
vidual competitors or representa
tives of their high school team.
The USTA ranks the players on
draw sheets, then distributes the
rankings to various colleges and uni
versities across the nation.
“I look for players who can win,”
Kent says. “When you’re in the Top
20, you have to bring them in raring
to go.”
There are currently nine players
on the A&M team, four of whom are
foreign.
“Our foreign players have been
some of our best competitors,” Kent
says.
Kent says he doesn’t have any dif
ficulty when it comes to breaking
poor tennis habits in his players. Col
legiate players have already devel
oped good tennis skills, he says.
“And if I do get a player that gives
me trouble, then he’s no longer part
of my team,” Kent adds. “I call the
shots, and they’ve got to do what I
tell them. Then, I’m happy.”
Kent says his method of coaching
is usually done from the sidelines.
“Good shot, Kimmo — way to
slam it,” he says as he glances at
A&M’s No. 1 player, Kimmo Alkio,
during practice.
“I don’t actually play during prac
tice drills, but I still compete in tour
naments,” Kent says. “But I know
the team knows how to play. I just
want to see that stamina and dedica
tion to win in their faces.”
His effective coaching ability isn’t
entirely restricted to men’s tennis.
Though Kent says he coached the
women’s teams at WTSU and Mid
land and Amarillo high schools, he
feels that his short temper tends to
hurt female players.
“I coached women’s high school
tennis, and it was a success,” Kent
says. “But I tend to fly off the handle
too quick. I’ve also got bad profanity
on the court.
“I think female coaches are excel
lent for men’s tennis. But you’ve got
to choose coaching either men’s or
women’s tennis—you can’t do both.”
Kleinecke says that Kent’s coach
ing techniques aren’t appreciated
until a player completes his tennis
career with Kent.
“I tell his players that once they
make it through him, it’s worth it,”
Kleinecke says. “When they’ve fin
ished it, then they know they’ll be
prepared for anything in life.”
Goldfine agreed that he’ll proba
bly appreciate Kent more once he’s
not competing.
“It’s Kent’s former players that
are his biggest fans,” Kleinecke adds.
Goldfine and Simmons say that
Kent’s ability to organize, schedule
and publicize the matches are one of
his best qualities.
Kent devotes what little spare time
he has to the church. But the major
ity of his time is spent thinking about
tennis.
“I just love the sport — my wife
thinks I’m dull,” he says, laughing.
Kent has three children in their
20s who play tennis competitively
and leisurely. But Kent says he’s
never forced the sport on any of his
children.
Kent stresses that he hopes his
players find him more than a tennis
coach.
“I hope I can be an adviser on and
off the court — a friend or father
figure, maybe,” he says. “But who’d
want a 50-year-old friend?”
•m
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and
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at two o’clock in the afternoon.
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Refreshments will he served afterwards.
Register to win in drawings for
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Free tuxedo rental from Cologero \s
25% discount on any rental from Party Time
Chimney Hill
Bowling Center
“A Family Recreation Center'
40 Lanes— Automatic Scoring
League & Open Bowling
Bar & Snack Bar
STUDENT SPECIAL MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9 AM to 6 PM
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260-9184
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3 Dances
Art Show
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Amateur Video Contest
SCA fighting demos
Lots of Parties
Gaming
Banquet
Masquerade
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max
The Road Warrior
Panels and Readings
Name That Sound Effect
T10 table Dealers' Room
l ive Lovecraftian Quest
Secular Humanism Revival
Meeting
A&M Students pay only $7.50 til Mar. 15
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17
April 5-6, 1986
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