{"id":39652,"date":"2021-10-29T14:21:59","date_gmt":"2021-10-29T18:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/?p=39652"},"modified":"2026-01-27T09:07:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:07:29","slug":"back-to-bates-big-game-saturday-for-alumni-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/2021\/10\/29\/back-to-bates-big-game-saturday-for-alumni-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Men&#8217;s Tennis Fall Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fall Season Update:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"675\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2-675x900.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39654\" style=\"width:250px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2-675x900.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2-768x1024.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2-471x628.jpg 471w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2-1152x1536.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2-150x200.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/Mens-team-2.webp 1439w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The weather this fall has been incredible! While we certainly miss our three juniors currently studying abroad in Copenhagen and Australia, they\u2019re doing well, staying active, and making the most of their experiences. Since we began practicing on September 3, I\u2019ve been excited by the development and energy within our group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We\u2019ve added <strong>four first-year players<\/strong> who are already making an impact. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The team has been focused on building our all-court game, and I\u2019ve been especially impressed with the progress in our <strong>volleys and transition play<\/strong>. The improvement over the past month has been outstanding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our student-athletes are working hard in the weight room, and our returners came back from the summer looking <strong>strong and prepared<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Competition Highlights<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Final Fall Event:<\/strong> We&#8217;ll close out the fall on <strong>October 25 at Bryant (Division I)<\/strong>, which gives us another great target to train toward.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Middlebury Invitational:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ITA Championships:<\/strong> We played excellent tennis here despite some narrow losses in both singles and doubles. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wallach Invitational:<\/strong> This was our <strong>best showing of the fall<\/strong> and the strongest performance at that event in several years. Our athletes\u2019 maturity and confidence continue to grow, and it\u2019s been inspiring to watch. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:0px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1-900x675.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39653\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1-900x675.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1-400x300.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1-837x628.jpg 837w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1-1536x1152.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1-200x150.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-1.webp 1919w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"675\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3-675x900.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39655\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3-675x900.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3-768x1024.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3-471x628.jpg 471w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3-1152x1536.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3-150x200.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-3.webp 1439w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Focus: The Mental Game<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I recently came across a great quote from mental coach Bob Rotella, who referenced Mark Twain:<em> \u201cThe inability to forget is far more devastating than the inability to remember.<\/em>\u201d Rotella emphasizes that elite athletes master the ability to \u201cforget\u201d\u2014to move forward quickly after setbacks. Our players are embracing that mindset. Even when outcomes don\u2019t go our way, they\u2019re 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 \u201ctrust our training and let it fly\u201d in competition while continuing to be solution-based\u2014no excuses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We strive to find a way &#8211;&nbsp;<em>NO MATTER WHAT!&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Spring Travel News:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re excited to be heading back to Florida this winter from <strong>February 12\u201319<\/strong>. If you\u2019re in the area, we\u2019d love to see you! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Training Location:<\/strong> USTA National Campus in Lake Nona.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scheduled Opponents:<\/strong> St. Leo University, Rollins College, and Florida Southern College.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>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. <strong>Thank you<\/strong> again for your continued support\u2014it means so much to our program and our student-athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Facilities &amp; Upgrades:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"675\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4-675x900.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39656\" style=\"width:250px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4-675x900.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4-768x1024.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4-471x628.jpg 471w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4-1152x1536.webp 1152w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4-150x200.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-4.webp 1439w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 675px) 100vw, 675px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>A huge <strong>thank-you to everyone who has supported our PlaySight Video System project<\/strong> over the past five years. It\u2019s been a tremendous success, allowing our athletes to review matches and enabling Bates Tennis to livestream all home contests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li> <strong>Technology Upgrade (PlaySight to SaveMyPlay):<\/strong>  This summer, we successfully transitioned to <strong>SaveMyPlay<\/strong>, a platform used by the USTA National Campus. This upgrade:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Offers <strong>AI features<\/strong> to automatically clip highlights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gives us <strong>higher-quality video<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Significantly <strong>reduces annual costs<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Includes <strong>12 new cameras<\/strong> for Merrill Gym and the Wallach Tennis Center.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Court Repairs:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6-900x675.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39657\" style=\"width:250px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6-900x675.webp 900w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6-400x300.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6-837x628.jpg 837w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6-1536x1152.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6-200x150.webp 200w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/files\/2025\/10\/mens-team-6.webp 1919w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We redirected funds originally set aside for new bleachers to prioritize these court repairs and extend the facility\u2019s lifespan. The Wallach Tennis Center, now 25 years old, has withstood many Maine winters, but it\u2019s nearing the end of its resurfacing cycle. We\u2019ll continue working with the college to plan for future upgrades in the coming years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recruiting News:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking ahead, our projected <strong>2026 incoming class<\/strong> could be one of our strongest in more than a decade. We\u2019ll share more details once the admissions process is complete this winter\u2014but the future is bright!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Go Cats!<br><br>Paul Gastonguay <br><em>Head Men&#8217;s Tennis Coach\u00a0<br><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fall Season Update: The weather this fall has been incredible! While we&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1045,"featured_media":39653,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_hide_ai_chatbot":false,"_ai_chatbot_style":"","associated_faculty":[],"_Page_Specific_Css":"","_bates_restrict_mod":false,"_table_of_contents_display":false,"_table_of_contents_location":"","_table_of_contents_disableSticky":false,"_is_featured":false,"footnotes":"","_bates_seo_meta_description":"","_bates_seo_block_robots":false,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_id":0,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_twitter_id":0,"_bates_seo_share_title":"","_bates_seo_canonical_overwrite":"","_bates_seo_twitter_template":""},"categories":[1,64],"tags":[63],"class_list":["post-39652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-news-and-updates","category-fba","tag-fba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1045"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39652"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39670,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39652\/revisions\/39670"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39652"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39652"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}