When people hear fall sports, what comes to mind? Soccer, volleyball, field hockey and in other places football. That’s it, right?
What about tennis and rowing? They are spring sports, but they have fall seasons as well, and not just practice. Men’s and women’s tennis both played in the King’s Invitational in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, along with several non-conference contests in September and October. They finished the fall schedule with records of 3-0 and 0-3, respectively.
“The fall season is a good practice season to allow the team to get in rhythm and get better as a unit,” Vince Paetow, sophomore marketing major and tennis player, said.
Men’s tennis interim head coach Sean Jaeger also added that the extra work is important because players only have four years. In a collegiate athletics program, that leaves little time to waste in player development.
“Taking advantage and appreciating every hour on the tennis court to progress is a very important mindset to have for both players and coaches,” Jaeger said. “Consistent desire to improve is the cornerstone for any successful team.”
As for rowing, they took part in the 2018 Navy Day Regatta on Oct. 13, in which they finished 33rd. They were one of only two Division III vessels in a field rich with Division I talent. They also competed in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta on Oct. 27, where they took home a 50th place finish against more than 50 shells from Divisions I, II, and III.
“[The fall season] allows our new rowers to gain some experience on the water and be prepared for our spring season,” Victoria Anderson, junior early childhood education and special education major and rowing team captain, said. “For our returning rowers, we focus on getting back into the boat after a long summer off.”
A common theme is that the fall season is short. Men’s and women’s tennis won’t see action again until March, a six-month layoff between contests. However, that doesn’t mean the players just forget the sport for six months.
“I will be training with my personal coaches and my dad who played [Division I] tennis,” Paetow said. “They help me hone my skills and become a more whole tennis player.”
The same goes for rowing, who won’t get back on the water until the spring.
“During the winter, we go to strength and conditioning with [coach Dustin Malandra] two times a week,” Anderson said. “He makes a specialized workout plan for us that focuses on the muscles we use while rowing.”
She added that they also have captains practices using rowing machines a few times during the layoff.
Men’s tennis will be looking to follow up a Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) championship in 2017 with an Atlantic East Conference title this spring. Women’s tennis will be aiming for their first conference title since winning the CSAC in 2007, and rowing will take another crack at their first Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference championship in program history.
