Catching Up on Friday

Catching Up With...What Jonny Shenk and Joel King Have in Common

Tennis, as it is played in the Indiana high school ranks, consists of two different elements going on simultaneously. It contains both the individual aspect and the team dynamic at the same time. You are individually matched up against an opponent, and you are trying to defeat them without the help of teammates (or just one teammate if it's doubles). However, your result with then either help or hinder your team in winning the match as a squad. It's a great system that can lead to some of the most intense finishes in any sport. Like when the two aspects combine and a team match that is tied at 2-2 comes down to an individual match that is going into it's third set.

Anyways, because these two elements exist within tennis, there are players who excel at each when the pressure is on. Some players excel at winning their own individual matches when they get intense and drag on into tiebreakers and third sets. Then there are other who provide their clutch performances when the team needs them most.

Today, I want to look at two players specifically (and some statistics) who exemplify these molds: Jonny Shenk and Joel King. They are both some of the best examples of clutch players throughout Bethany history, but in different areas.

Jonny has been clutch when it comes to an individual matches. He never wanted to back down from any opponent, and as any of his matches stretched on, you always had a feeling that he was going to be able to pull it out. The statistics back up this observation, a quick look at the varsity record book shows that Jonny is tops in third sets won, and then third in highest percentage of third sets won and tiebreakers won as well. Jonny's record of 8 third sets won is particularly amazing, considering that he racked up these victories in only two years of playing varsity.

In individual matches, those two circumstances put the most pressure on a player, 3rd sets and tiebreakers. Some of my favorite Jonny Shenk memories come from playing in these difficult circumstances. One of my favorite Jonny Shenk matches was his first match as a varsity player, #3 singles against Northridge's Jeremy Runge. In that match he came out and shocked Runge, I think, winning the first set of the match in pretty comfortable fashion. Then in the second set Runge adjusted his game and took Jonny out of his rhythm by making him come to the net. In the third set, Jonny made sure to make the correct strategical choices, choosing to retrieve short balls and then retreat to the baseline, making the game about stamina and consistency. His choices paid off, and he cruised through the third set to victory.

Individual players who can come through in the clutch can learn from Jonny's attitude in that match. Many players would panic when the match turned, because Jonny had won one set easily then lost a close second set. But instead of getting frustrated he got smart. He was able to adjust and persevere, two important qualities of a clutch performer.

Obviously, there are others who have had clutch individual performances. I think of Jared Schwartzentruber and his third set record this year, and his ability to pull through came down to those same qualities, keeping himself mentally focus on what adjustments needed to be made and not panicking.

On the other hand, we have Joel King. I have joked from time to time about "the legend of Joel King," because I believe he is a rather important player in Bruin tennis history. He was an example to most of our seniors when they joined as freshman. So what did they watch him do? Perform his best when the team needed it.

Clutch performances when the team needs you come in somewhat different circumstances from individual. Clutch performances for the team is when the match is 3-2 and you were one of the winners. Or when the match is tied 2-2 or your team is down 1-2 and you have to have that match that is still on the court, yours.

Through his career, Joel was an amazing 8-0 in matches that ended 3-2, whether the team won or lost. When the match was going to come right down to one position, it seems that the team could always count on Joel to pull through in his match. This includes 3 matches that were tied at 2-2 and he pulled out the deciding point. The pressure in these type of matches can be immense. I think the biggest thing that is important in these matches is a true belief that you will win, a focusing on the positive, a getting mentally fired up for every point. Joel was a fiery player, but he also resisted the urge to get down on himself when things weren't going well. Instead he just dug in more in those situations.

Well, those are two players who have done well under pressure. But everyone has had their moment. Here are a list of 3rd set records and 3-2 match records for all varsity players under me.

Player-------------------------3rd Sets------3-2 matches
Ben Mast------------------------ 1-0 ------------ 1-0
Luke Hostetter ----------------- 6-4 ------------ 8-7
Jared Schwartzentruber -------- 6-2 ------------ 6-8
Jonny Shenk -------------------- 8-2 ------------ 5-6
Johnny Kauffman --------------- 2-6 ------------ 3-10
Jeremy Thomas ----------------- 1-3 ------------ 4-10
Daniel Buschert ----------------- 3-5 ------------ 8-2
Mikey Kelly --------------------- 3-3 ------------ 7-3
Matthew Amstutz --------------- 1-1 ------------ 0-0
Wes Klassen --------------------- 3-4 ------------ 3-3
Jordan Kauffman ---------------- 4-9 ------------ 7-3
Jordan Miller -------------------- 0-1 ------------ 2-1
Joel King ------------------------ 6-1 ------------ 8-0
Michael Steury ------------------ 3-6 ------------ 5-1
Mark Bauman ------------------- 0-0 ------------ 1-3
Alex Bullard --------------------- 0-2 ------------ 1-4
Joe Friesen ---------------------- 0-1 ------------ 2-4
Ben Shenk ----------------------- 2-2 ------------ 1-3
Casey Diener -------------------- 0-1 ------------ 0-2
Seth Troyer --------------------- 0-4 ------------ 2-2
Evan Stahley -------------------- 0-2 ------------ 1-1
Colin Yoder ---------------------- 2-0 ------------ 1-1
Jordan Mumaw ------------------ 0-2 ------------ 1-1