Fall Season Update:

The weather this fall has been incredible! While we certainly miss our three juniors currently studying abroad in Copenhagen and Australia, they’re doing well, staying active, and making the most of their experiences. Since we began practicing on September 3, I’ve been excited by the development and energy within our group.

• We’ve added four first-year players who are already making an impact.
• The team has been focused on building our all-court game, and I’ve been especially impressed with the progress in our volleys and transition play. The improvement over the past month has been outstanding.
• Our student-athletes are working hard in the weight room, and our returners came back from the summer looking strong and prepared.

Competition Highlights

• Final Fall Event: We’ll close out the fall on October 25 at Bryant (Division I), which gives us another great target to train toward.
• Middlebury Invitational: We opened the fall season at the Middlebury Invitational, facing strong competition and gaining valuable insight into areas for continued growth. The long trip also helped strengthen team bonds. Despite a few early injuries, we took advantage of the opportunity to get everyone involved in match play and saw steady progress from Saturday to Sunday.
• ITA Championships: We played excellent tennis here despite some narrow losses in both singles and doubles.
• Wallach Invitational: This was our best showing of the fall and the strongest performance at that event in several years. Our athletes’ maturity and confidence continue to grow, and it’s been inspiring to watch.

Focus: The Mental Game

I recently came across a great quote from mental coach Bob Rotella, who referenced Mark Twain: “The inability to forget is far more devastating than the inability to remember.” Rotella emphasizes that elite athletes master the ability to “forget”—to move forward quickly after setbacks. Our players are embracing that mindset. Even when outcomes don’t go our way, they’re learning to process tough matches productively, focus on what went right, and trust that the results will come through consistent work. This team is resilient, fearless, and committed to improving a little bit each day. Our goal is to “trust our training and let it fly” in competition while continuing to be solution-based—no excuses. 

We strive to find a way – NO MATTER WHAT!   

Spring Travel News:

We’re excited to be heading back to Florida this winter from February 12–19. If you’re in the area, we’d love to see you!

• Training Location: USTA National Campus in Lake Nona.
• Scheduled Opponents: St. Leo University, Rollins College, and Florida Southern College.

Your generosity over the years has made this invaluable training trip possible, helping us cover essential expenses such as travel, lodging, court time, and meals. Thank you again for your continued support—it means so much to our program and our student-athletes.

Facilities & Upgrades:

A huge thank-you to everyone who has supported our PlaySight Video System project over the past five years. It’s been a tremendous success, allowing our athletes to review matches and enabling Bates Tennis to livestream all home contests.

• Technology Upgrade (PlaySight to SaveMyPlay): This summer, we successfully transitioned to SaveMyPlay, a platform used by the USTA National Campus. This upgrade:
  • Offers AI features to automatically clip highlights.
  • Gives us higher-quality video.
  • Significantly reduces annual costs.
  • Includes 12 new cameras for Merrill Gym and the Wallach Tennis Center.
• Court Repairs: We completed important repairs in August. Maine Tennis and Track addressed major cracks using the Armor Crack Mesh system and repainted the front four courts and courtyard, while the back courts were pressure-washed.

We redirected funds originally set aside for new bleachers to prioritize these court repairs and extend the facility’s lifespan. The Wallach Tennis Center, now 25 years old, has withstood many Maine winters, but it’s nearing the end of its resurfacing cycle. We’ll continue working with the college to plan for future upgrades in the coming years.

Recruiting News:

Looking ahead, our projected 2026 incoming class could be one of our strongest in more than a decade. We’ll share more details once the admissions process is complete this winter—but the future is bright!

Go Cats!

Paul Gastonguay
Head Men’s Tennis Coach