SportsTennis

Tennis duo builds tradition at LV

Building strength within the men’s tennis squad this season are newcomers Mario Backes and Mike Longanecker, who combine to play No. 1 doubles for the Leopards. The pair hopes their experience will start a new tennis tradition at the University. / photo by Chrissy Zehrbach
Building strength within the men’s tennis squad this season are newcomers Mario Backes and Mike Longanecker, who combine to play No. 1 doubles for the Leopards. The pair hopes their experience will start a new tennis tradition at the University. / photo by Chrissy Zehrbach

Mike Senyo
Staff Writer

A tradition being built with the University of La Verne tennis team. Junior Mike Longanecker and sophomore Mario Backes are building this tradition, bringing their international and competitive experience to the team.

Mike and Mario are doubles teammates and are currently building the tennis team toward a competitive edge.

Although both players come from different backgrounds they do have one thing in common: a love for the game.

Longanecker started playing tennis when he was 5 years old.

His grandfather was a professional tennis coach and was his only coach until he came to the University of La Verne.

“I got to hit in a lot of courts when a lot of players were done with their workouts so they trained me,” Longanecker said. “You could say they all had a hand in teaching me.”

At the age of 4, Backes was taught by his father. By 7, he was playing in clubs in Switzerland.

“I really like to play because you are on your own,” Backes said. “There is no team to depend on.”

Backes came from ULV’s Athens campus, restricting his playing time without a team.

“Before the school closed I found out that La Verne had a team and I contacted Steve,” Backes said. “It was terrible to not play tennis. I’m rusty, I’m not playing very good, but this is one of the reasons why I prefer La Verne to Greece.”

Longanecker transferred from nearby Mt. San Antonio College.

“I never liked the idea of team sports,” Longanecker said. “I hate letting people down and people letting me down. I like to be in control of things and tennis lets me do that.”

Both teammates credit one another for the overall growth of the tennis team and value their contributions to the University’s success.

“Mario is a very experienced player, he especially has international experience,” Longanecker said. “He’s versatile in his game and can hit any shot. I know that I can rely on him.”

While at Mt. SAC, Longanecker was trapped by playing a one-dimensional game.

At ULV he can be a little more creative with his game having Backes at his side.

“Mario has played enough that he knows how to deal with tough situations in a match,” Longanecker said. “He never gives up and the inexperienced guys look at that and see it as a way to turn a match around.”

The two teammates share a mutual feeling of respect, giving each other credit for some of their own successes.

“Mike is a real inspiration and motivator on this team,” Backes said. “With me being rusty I admit that he is better than me and for that I look up to him. I want to get better and he pushes me.”

Backes also said that Longanecker is the first to give lessons in everything to help the inexperienced guys.

“What weakness there are in Mario’s game, Mike makes up for it and vice versa,” head coach Steve Bergovoy said.

“Both know the game inside and out. Mario knows the game very well mentally, but what’s frustrating for him is that he’s been out of the game for a while. Mike possesses a very offensive game and has tremendous potential.”

Longanecker wants people to know that this is the beginning of a tradition for the University of La Verne’s tennis program.

Both Mario and Mike will be competing today against Colorado College at 2 p.m.

Mike Senyo can be reached at msenyo@ulv.edu.

Mike Senyo
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