Mahan’s Message To Mayhem

Matt Mahan’s resume does not include tennis, yet, the first-year Farmington coach possesses the most important ingredient in helping the team succeed this season — a willing heart.

When Amanda Reimer resigned this spring leaving Farmington without a tennis coach, athletic director Brad Blew found himself in a situation similar to what Jeff Long, University of Arkansas athletic director, experienced shortly after firing head football coach Bobby Petrino in the spring of 2012. With a season looming on the horizon there was an immediate need to fill a coaching position.

What Blew did not want to manifest in Cardinal athletics was the sort of mayhem which plagued the Razorbacks in the aftermath of the Bobby Petrino scandal with what had been a nationally-ranked program spiraling downward in a season of lackluster performances in the playing arena.

Mahan, a boys basketball assistant coach and head junior high coach stepped forward, and was handed the job with no prior tennis experience saying he enjoys working with youth.

“It’s my big motivation. I think if you can be a positive influence on each kid you come in contact with that’s so rewarding. It’s better than any won-loss record.”

Mahan served as an assistant on the 2004 state champion girls basketball team coached by Blew and Blew thinks Mahan will be a great asset for the kids who come out for tennis, noting tennis requires an individual proficiency to compete effectively and individual goals differ from team goals. Blew said the key is to set realistic goals.

“He’s going to push them. Matt’s a fine young man, he doesn’t have experience in tennis but he’s willing to learn the game,” Blew said. “He’s going to steer our kids in the right direction.”

Thus far no outspoken critic has voiced an opinion expecting Mahan to fail due to lack of a background in the sport but if that shadowy character, Mayhem, materializes trying to convince Mahan he should take out an extra insurance policy on this season, Mahan can always fall back on the principle of finishing so that his eager willingness to accept the responsibility will be matched by completion of the task according to his means.

“We set high expectations at Farmington. We expect to succeed,” Mahan said. “We try to practice with that mindset of putting them into position to succeed. You can’t put in half the work and expect the full results.”

The top returning boy is senior Chase Holiman, who will be the boys number one singles player.

“I can tell he’s a real skilled player,” Mahan said.

Sophomores Wyatt Jones, Jeffrey Kutter and Will Warren and freshmen John Bunyard and Caleb Lipford round out the squad.

Among the girls out are junior Teah Flynn, who placed third at state last season duplicating a feat she accomplished as a freshman, and senior Haley Maxwell, a two-time district runner-up in singles competition. These two are pairing up to form Farmington’s number one girls doubles team with their sights set on winning a state champi- onship.

For the last two years, Flynn and Maxwell have worked their way through the district tournament bracket and met in the singles championship game with Flynn winning twice.

“We were very competitive in the match and after it we were friends again,” Flynn said, explaining those meetings have nothing to do with the decision to switch to doubles this season.

“I’ve known Haley for a long time. It’s her senior year. We wanted to change it up and thought it would be fun. We’ve had fun playing doubles together for fun. We make a pretty good duo, she’s good at the net and I’m pretty good at the baseline.”

Flynn noted there is a difference in styles in going from playing singles to doubles and emphasized the girls’ objective is winning a state doubles crown.

According to Mahan, Farmington student/athletes have a sense of self-pride so the necessary effort kind of takes care of itself.

With Flynn and Maxwell moving to doubles, senior Sara Dumagan will probably be the number one girls singles player.

“I think she play some singles, she’s pretty talented,” Mahan said.

Junior Jenifer Palmer, sophomores Patti Bruno and Kailee Kyger, and freshman Sam Troilo are also out.

Knowledge of training regimens and a complete glossary of tennis terms might not yet be within Mahan’s vocabulary, but he clearly knows what his major responsibility is as head coach.

“Making sure each decision is right for the kids, I always try to do what’s right for the kids.”

Blew is convinced good things will happen and expects Mahan to contribute to the success of Cardinal tennis.

“I think Matt’s going to do fine.”