When the Virginia men’s and women’s tennis teams take the courts at Boar’s Head Sports Club on Friday afternoon, they can expect a challenge from their opponents.
No, they aren’t taking on UNC, Wake Forest or any other ACC foe.
Friday afternoon, they will take the court with 35 Special Olympians as part of the Special Olympics Virginia Xperience. The Cavaliers will be putting on a clinic as part of the event, which continues throughout the weekend with a round-robin style tournament.
Both tennis teams participated in the event last year, which featured a competitive spirit according to Virginia senior Amanda Rales. What began as simple drills, quickly evolved into a hard-fought mini-match between the Cavaliers and the Special Olympians.
“It seemed like they all just want to play against you, which ended up being a lot more fun for them and I think us,” Rales said. “It was really, really fun and it really seemed like everybody had a good time. They are all pretty good players too.”
From a coaching standpoint, both head coaches agreed that the competitive spirit on both sides was one of the highlights of the day.
“It was really nice to see such a genuine passion for playing tennis and competing,” Mark Guilbeau said. “Actually a large percentage of the players really wanted to try and beat up on us. Some of the moments became very funny.”
Men’s coach Brian Boland echoed his sentiments.
“They are just unbelievably wonderful people and excellent tennis players,” Boland said. “They are outstanding tennis players. I think that is one thing all of us came to realize that despite any odds that any of them had, they are just unbelievable competitors and athletes. They just love to play the game.”
For both teams, who receive heavy support from the Charlottesville community, this event allows them a chance to give back, according to Rales.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to give something to the University and other people in the community,” Rales said. “It’s always nice to feel looked up to. I personally think that we have a responsibility to set a good example.”
In Boland’s view it was the other way around.
“I really believe that all of the players on my team really look up to these people. It’s a really special opportunity I think not even for the Special Olympics but also for our student athletes,” he said. “I think they gain as much as they give.”
What stood out the most at the event, Boland said, was the passion of the Special Olympians.
“We were just so impressed with their love and passion for the game and how much they enjoyed interacting with our players and I think it goes both ways,” he said. “It’s an incredibly positive experience for not only for the Special Olympics but for our student athletes and their opportunity to interact with such a special group of people.”
That intense passion, demonstrated by the Special Olympians, is one thing Guilbeau hopes will continue to spill over into the spring season.
“I speak for our staff and I hope I speak for the team, it’s just nice to have a group of kids that really want to be out there. I think that’s where it starts and stops,” Guilbeau said. “These team members want to play, they want to practice, for the most part they really want to put in the hard work and get things done. … Like we said about the Special Olympics, it’s just refreshing and it should be that way, that we love being out there.”
The women’s team won’t have to wait long after the Special Olympics clinic to kick off their season, as the 2009 UVa Winter Invitational opens Saturday. The Cavaliers will welcome Arkansas, Utah and UNC to town as they open the 2009 season.
“It’s really nice to have the kids back on court practicing and the tournament is only a bonus. This tournament is going to be excellent. It’s been a great experience for us each year that we’ve been at UVa,” Guilbeau said. “It’s a smart way to start the spring season because it gives us three matches for one date, which allows us to be more efficient with the use of our dates.”
The Cavaliers return three veterans to a squad that finished 10-13 last season. According to Rales, the team has high expectations for the spring season.
“It’s a pretty new team but everyone has come in with a lot of experience and they have definitely put in the work to put us in a good position to be a much better team this year,” Rales said.
The men’s squad, which rode a 32-1 record to the NCAA Semifinals before falling to Georgia last spring, will kick off its spring season with a Jan. 20 match at William & Mary.
“I think we’ve had a great start to the season in terms of our preseason training,” Boland said. “I think we’re making jumps forward each day and I think we’ll definitely be ready by Jan. 20 to compete at a really high level.”
Despite losing two-time NCAA Singles Champion Somdev Devvarman as well as Treat Huey and Ted Angelinos, Boland feels confident that the tradition of success the three created at Virginia will live on.
“I believe we can pick up where we left off. We can build from the momentum that we have and the foundation that those guys built. … They gave so much to the program. At the same time, it was time for them to move on. … We’re just excited about where our program is at and we’re hoping to continue to build a better team every day.”
