New tennis Head Coach looks ahead at season start

The Nicholls State University tennis programs open their 2017 season this Sunday under the new leadership of Head Coach Greg Harkins.

Harkins joins the Colonels after his experience as head coach of the women’s tennis team at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from 2011 to 2015 where he led his team to 40 victories and an appearance in the Sunbelt Conference Tournament Finals.

Prior to ULL, Harkins briefly held an assistant coach position for the men and women’s’ programs at the College of Charleston from 2008 to 2010.

From 2011 to 2015, Harkins was the head coach of the women’s tennis team at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette

As his ninth season as a Division I coach begins, Harkins believes he has made a smooth transition from women’s tennis at ULL to taking charge of both teams at Nicholls.

“I think it’s a new level of responsibility handling both the men and the women but to be honest, it’s a lot of fun,” Harkins said. “They’re all out there working hard together and I’m very happy with their attitudes and their mentality.”

According to senior Bernard Wezeman, Harkins hasn’t wasted a minute and has implemented numerous positive changes to the tennis programs since his arrival in September of 2016.

“He definitely brought a lot of positivity because we didn’t have a coach for a little while,” Wezeman said. “He has done work on our facilities and now we have brand new courts.”

Wezeman hopes that the new courts will make opponents more inclined to play at Nicholls and he hopes it will spark an interest in fans to come support the teams at home games.

Harkins and assistant coach Eric Sturgis believe that each new season brings adversity and challenges, but they are ready for the journey to begin. With two small squads this season, Harkins believes each individual will be crucial to the success of the program.

Harkins has put a great emphasis on recruiting and the future of the program, and has already recruited two men and one woman.

“We got a late start in the fall so most of what we’re working on is stabilizing the program and making sure we could fill both the men’s and women’s squads,” Harkins said.

In addition to focusing on facilities and recruitment, Harkins has taken a more structured approach to the training of both the men and women’s teams.

“We are focusing more on quality and less on quantity, so I think that really helps,” Wezeman said. “We aren’t necessarily putting in more hours but we are training more effectively.

According to Senior Ambika Pande, spending time on the basics is exactly what their young team has needed.

“With a lot of young people on the team, Coach has really been focusing on the process and how we combine as a team,” Pande said. “We’ve been working on the basics instead of focusing on making fancy shots or making tactical strategies right now.”

Wezeman and Pande agree that the main goal for both teams is to make it to the Southland Conference tournament; especially after not making the cut last year. With a relatively small team, both seniors understand that improvements must be made to ensure a spot for their teams in conference tournament play.

“We are just starting out so we will give 100 percent and see how far we get while growing throughout the season,” Wezeman said.

Harkins demands excellence both on and off the courts for his athletes. While coaching at ULL, his team held the school record for the most consecutive semesters with a 3.0 or higher GPA.

Harkins brings with him his unique coaching philosophy from his past coaches, mentors and years of experience with tennis.

“I’m very fortunate to have been under some great coaches so I really want to share a lot of the experiences that I’ve had,” Harkins said. “What I bring to the courts is not so much about telling the kids what to do, but it’s about guiding them down the right path.”

After having spent the fall with his players, Harkins knows that entering their season brings a special buzz and excitement to the Nicholls community. He is optimistic to see how high they will set the bar this spring.

“What I’ve found is that the teams who find success can at any given moment, have anybody stand up and make a difference,” Harkins said. “I’m interested and curious to see if someone who has remained in the shadows will rise to the occasion this year.”