2015 Net News - April 3
4/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Hello from Bama Men's Tennis,
The fast and furious season has flown by and we have reached the final home weekend of the year. Crazy as it seems like just yesterday that we opened our 2015 campaign against Samford and UAB. It goes to show that once the ride begins there's no getting off. Or quite simply, if you blink a few times, you'll miss it.
So here we are with Easter weekend in front of us and a hunt for (South Carolina) Gamecocks and (Georgia) Bulldogs. What treats we serve up our opponents remains to be seen, but I know we will be looking to collect the most eggs and points in our basket.
This Friday/Sunday match-up also celebrates a spring time parents weekend (following up from the fall) and Senior Day for Stuart Kenyon, Andrew Goodwin and a unique member of the tennis program. As I have experienced my kids grow older and bigger in what seems to be a flash, I have also witnessed many players start their freshmen season and then all of a sudden find themselves playing in the last few matches of their college careers. Where does it all go? Well, hopefully nowhere, other than a multi-terabyte memory bank that they can access over and over again for a lifetime.
My initial introduction to our first senior, Stuart, was three years ago at the start of his sophomore season. I met him and his parents, Mike and Annette, at Rama Jama's for breakfast ... no better greasy spoon in Tuscaloosa in my opinion. The eggs were cooked (well) as were the crunchy hash browns and the coffee certainly added a little spice in my morning. Three things stood out in my mind then with Stuart as they do now and they all begin with the letter "b" ... beard, boots and big truck. Throw in a heavy forehand, whippey one hand backhand, a dose of thermal dynamics (that's engineering for all of you non-engineers), a Smash Brothers video game, a wakeboard flip, a sweet tooth and a "C" on his jersey and you've got senior, Stuart Kenyon. What a ride he has been on while at Alabama, and that journey won't stop here.
One definition of an "animal" by Merriam-Webster states it is a "person who behaves in a wild, aggressive, or unpleasant way." Well I wouldn't necessarily say that our next senior quite matches the definition to a T, but his playing style and work ethic has been aggressive and relentless. Ryler and I first saw Andrew Goodwin compete at the ITA Regional Championships in October, 2012 while a player for Southern Mississippi. The first thing that came to our mind as we watched him tear apart a Bama player was that he was just an animal. His determination, belief and passion stood out so clearly when he played. We thought how great it would be to have a player like him on our team. Well, fast forward six months, and Andrew transferred to the Crimson Tide. An unexpected and tremendous addition to our program.
A final "senior" of sorts that we honor this weekend is not on the roster, but he has played an important role for Alabama Tennis since his arrival on campus four seasons ago. Brent Goodbrake has been the team stringer, manager, cheerleader, clinic/camp instructor, entertainer, motivator, story teller and loudest Bama Tennis fan. Whether you've heard him yell at matches, tailgated with him on the Quad, listened to one of his many life experiences or seen him do a back flip, Brent has been one of the most dedicated and passionate people that holds the Crimson Tide above all else. He'll start a new chapter this summer as he leaves T-Town for Hyde Park, New York to attend the Culinary Institute of America. While we have sampled a few of his tasty, home-cooked dishes at the courts, we now look forward to the future smorgasbord of meals he'll prepare. Bon appetit Brent!
So we celebrate all three guys for their commitment and contributions on and off the court. Each has left his mark at The University of Alabama and represented our tennis program with integrity, class and character. Aside from being quality ambassadors of Bama Tennis, they are simply, great guys. It will be odd not hearing Stuart's "ALLEZ!", Andrew's "TENACITY!" and Brent's "POINT BAMA!", but those cheers will never be forgotten and always welcome ... any time, any place.
So join us Friday at 5 p.m. as we host South Carolina. Come early for a FREE cookout sponsored by the Crimson Racket Club and then stay late to cheer on the Tide past the Gamecocks. Then after Easter mass and brunch, come on back to the courts for an afternoon of great tennis as we host Georgia at 1 p.m. The Million Dollar Band will be in the house cranking up their tunes and getting the home team juiced for a showdown with the Dogs. If you're not in town, live scoring is available here.
Happy Easter weekend and Roll Seniors Roll.
RT, George
Players Mentioned
