DESI CADE | staff writer
photo | ROBIN FAWCETT
Sophomore Danny Colten shows his backhand.


With a great season behind them, men and women’s tennis teams catapult into the 2008 season with experience and passion.

In 2007, men’s tennis competed in the NAIA Championship finals and women’s tennis made it to the quarterfinals. Those accomplishments may be surpassed when both teams work toward returning to the 2008 NAIA national tournament.

For the past five years, men’s tennis has competed in the national championship game, taking home the national title in 2005.

“We want to bring the title back to our school,” sophomore Ronald Chow said.

Last season, the Cougar women lost their No. 1 singles player. However all the women on the team share a balance of experience and skills which develops a great doubles game. This year the athletes work together to share the court and bring stability to their doubles game.

Senior Bay Daniels is the returning No. 2 singles player, becoming No. 1 this season. Head tennis coach Mark Bohren refers to Daniels’ skill as instrumental in the team’s success in 2008. Kim Tran is the returning No. 3 singles player. She has earned NAIA All-American second team honors and adds a lot of flair to this season’s roster. Other returning women are juniors Lindsey Cloninger, Katy Jelsma, and sophomore Jessalyn Lau.

New recruits are freshmen Sheryl Bon and Casey Wtzig who were the upper half singles players of their high school teams, along with sophomore Yvette Rocker.

“Although we lost Jennifer and Peggy last year, the new recruits bring a lot of talent and with the combined experiences and talents of the other four girls, I think we have a really good chance of winning the national championship this year,” sophomore Lau said.

That is always a drawback in starting a new season, continuing without key players. However the new recruits this year have been showing a lot of promise thus far and are expected to bring a lot of aptitude to the team.

This season the Cougar men also lost their No. 1 singles player; however, all the returning players and new recruits contribute much skill.

Junior Patrick Kur leads the team as the returning No. 2 singles player and has the highest singles wining percentage in APU tennis history. Kur is a steady player, brings good character, and is a good example for the rest of the team.

“This season is going to be very tough because other schools recruited a lot of good players from different countries,” senior Ronald Chow said. “Our boys are working very hard day in and day out, we are going to be giving the best to our team and 110% for every match we compete. We are ready for this challenge.”

Chow fires a lot of emotion into the games he plays, being a model for the competitive spirit that the teams envelop this year. He was also undefeated throughout high school, which contributes a lot of drive to his team.

Bohren is proud of his athletes and speaks well of them when asked how they will perform this season. He says there is good depth on both teams and everyone so far is in healthy condition.

In tennis, a different approach to coaching must be taken. Bohren emphasizes that he likes to remain an encouraging and positive coach, talking with his athletes during change-overs. He will spot weaknesses in the opponents and discuss them with the individual athletes.

Bohren said that the Cougars’ conditioning is utilized to its fullest advantage in the games they play. Players are presented with stamina stylized competition.

Men’s and women’s tennis teams both have a competitive schedule this season, but Bohren thinks that it will work in their favor. Hopefully with the competitive schedule, the student athletes will work their hardest and gain imperative playing experience.

Out of all the schools that both teams are scheduled to compete against, Bohren said they look forward to playing University of Hawaii the most. The team gets to travel to Hawaii which is always great for team bonding, and prepares the athletes for Nationals.

“Just by the other mini-tournaments we’ve played with other schools, we’ve done so well in them. By the way we performed there and how we get along as a team, we’ll do very well this season.” Rocker said.

Bohren is the head coach of both APU tennis teams; therefore the men and women practice together daily.

The co-ed aspect of their teams contributes to their bonding experiences and makes the connection between players strong for this upcoming season. An advantage to the Cougars practicing together gives them different perspectives on various types of players outside of their gender-based competition.

“Both teams have student athletes with good character,” Bohren said. “And good character makes a good tennis player.”

The tennis players only have good things to say about Bohren.

“I’m very proud to be on this team with Coach Bohren because he’s such a godly man and a great coach,” Rocker said. “I’m ready to do my best for him.”