Matthews Returns to Rams' Tennis Family

With a tennis pro as a father, Scott Matthews grew up around the game. With two older brothers who also played, the experience was certainly part of family life. But, Scott is quick to point out the sport was never pushed on him at a young age.

"I grew up being around Copper Valley Club," said Matthews, of the Cheshire club his father Jim has been pro at for 25 years. " When we were young we always used to go out and play doubles, my father and I, versus my two older brothers. And it was a weekly thing, if not more often. We'd go out and play a doubles match. He was giving us lessons when we were young, here and there anyway. He obviously wanted it to be fun for us so he didn't push the lessons too hard. It was more just going out and having fun as a family."

All three brothers wound up playing tennis at for Jim Matthews after he became head coach of the boys team in 1997. Since, Jim has guided the Rams to three of their five team state championships, eight Southern Connecticut Conference titles, and has had numerous All-State players and state champions, including his sons Brian and Scott.

Brian won two doubles State Open championships (2000, '02) and two class titles (1999, 2001) and Scott won two Open championships (2001, '02) and two class titles ('02-03). The brothers teamed for the 2002 Class L and Open championships.

"They all started between 3 and 5 (years old)," Jim said. "They used to hang out at the court sitting behind the fence. Brian and Scott, my middle and my third, were always watching my oldest (Kyle). They couldn't wait to get out there. It's easier for the second and third because they sit there watching. They can't wait to get their hands on a racket. Whatever the sport it is, it's a lot easier with second and thirds."

"I was excited to play (in high school)," Scott said. "My brothers were playing (when he was at two years) and I was just waiting to get into high school."

It seems fitting that after family friend Mike Rahn stepped down after six years as the Rams girls coach that Scott returns to Cheshire High this season as the girls tennis coach.

"When I heard the position was opening up, I put an application in right away because it was something I was definitely interested in doing. And it came pretty easy after that," Scott said.

After graduating from high school in 2004, Scott went to Western New England for his freshman year and was playing No. 1 singles, but after a coaching change he became disenchanted with the experience and didn't return.

Scott has been in the area in recent years going to school and teaching tennis in various New Haven County communities as well as Rocky Hill and as an assistant to his father at Copper Valley Club in Cheshire the past seven years.

"(Playing at Copper Valley) was my first memories of tennis that I can recall," Scott said. "After that, I started working maintenance at Copper Valley just to get some work in as I was younger, so I was around it. Since I played my whole life right into high school, it seemed perfect that I would become an assistant pro at Copper Valley, where I could be with my dad."

Jim said making the transition from teaching lessons to coaching a high school team can be a significant adjustment.

"It's a little different than teaching tennis, the coaching aspect," Jim said. "He's finding his way. He spent for four years with me (in high school) but coaching boys is a little different than coaching girls.

"Right now, he's absolutely enjoying it. He's doing a lot of teaching with the doubles. I've worked with a lot of the girls in the winter so the feedback I'm getting has been very positive."

To get ready for his first team coaching job, Scott prepared by observing how men's and women's coach Mike Quitko approaches it. During the summer, Scott watched Quitko, also tennis pro at Ridgetop Club in North Haven, teach his teams.

"He's a very, very knowledgeable tennis pro and a great resource to have," Scott said."I only watched the girls practices. I watched how he'd run things, the positions he put his captains in as leaders and how they were helping run the practice. Asked him for the contrast. I wanted to see what the difference between guys and girls was from his perspective.

"It's definitely been a little bit different. A lot of the girls coaches I've talked to have said, and this is for both guys and girls, it's not so much about changing the techniques, making individual difference for all the players. Come season time, they end up reverting back to their old ways. It's working with what you have and much more team-oriented. I'm trying to get the girls to bond with each other. I'm trying to get to know them."

"He loves teaching," Jim said. "Whether he's with me at Copper Valley with the 5-year-olds, he really enjoys the teaching aspect of it. In high school, the teaching goes on in doubles because we tell our kids that all the changes they need to make have to be made before the season starts. The physical part, you can only make minor tweaks. He was All-State in doubles for three years, so he has an awful lot of expertise in doubles. In girls they play four singles and three doubles as opposed to the boys who play five and two."

Scott said he's confident with his lineup going into the season this week. No. 1 singles will likely go to either senior captain Olivia Amato or junior Katie Seggerman. Juniors Taylor Strange and Erica Larsen should also fit into the singles picture.

The top doubles team will probably be senior captain Alyssa Carafano and junior Alex Hirt.

"It's a strong lineup," Scott said. "We have some strong singles player who have been working over the winter. They're all playing well. Doubles is where I've been spending a lot of my time, trying to put together the best teams."

Last season, Cheshire advanced to the semifinals of the SCC tournament before losing to Amity and also reached the Class L quarterfinals.

Boys Tennis Outlook

Jim Matthews said this season his team's strength is in its singles players. Sophomore Bryan Adams, who was 15-2 and All-State last season, is No. 1 singles. Most of the other players from last season will be moving up. Senior captain Dan Grove (14-3) moves up to No. 2, junior Tyler Hajar (13-5) is No. 3, freshman Jeremy Reichenthal, a USTA player, is at No. 4 and senior captain Brendan Pier will be No. 5.

Doubles lost three of four starters, including a No. 1 team that was All-League and a No. 2 that went 17-2. The other senior captain Nate Trumbo will team with senior Nithan Kumar at No. 1 doubles. Matthews has three juniors, Drew Henderson, Tanner Barros and Brad Mahar fighting for the No. 2 doubles slot.

"Our four toughest matches are our first four matches," Jim said. "We open up with Amity, Hand Fairfield Prep and Glastonbury. In my 14 years, we've never really had a difficult match until the seventh or eighth. So we always had the luxury of slowly getting the kids integrated. This year, not so much and with the weather and the wind, it's been even more difficult."

Cheshire won the Housatonic Division at 18-3 last season, but this year the SCC is grouped by Divisions I and II. The Rams are in the top of Division I, along with Prep, Hand and Amity, whom the Rams will each play twice.

"It's a great schedule," Jim said. "It's just tough to play your biggest rival the first match of the year. I'm optimistic."