Men's Tennis Program Philosophy

Every team in the country practices and hits thousands of tennis balls every week. So what sets UC Santa Cruz apart from all the other programs? Our strongest underlying belief is striving for excellence in everything we do. Many teams lack focus or direction and become frustrated with practice. We set specific goals and utilize our time to achieve those goals. We understand that the real competition is the battle within, not the victory or the loss. We have no control over the outcome of a match, but we can control our attitude and our state of mind. If we compete with strong desire, intensity and a love for the game, the winning will take care of itself.

Slug tennis is based upon physical, mental, and spiritual training. You use your body, mind, and heart when you play, so it is important to devote time to all three disciplines. Athletes constantly battle with negative thoughts entering their minds and many do not know how to properly deal with their emotions. We incorporate various techniques such as visualization and affirmations to ensure that our players have a positive mindset towards practice and match play. We develop strength and cardiovascular endurance through conditioning and weight training, which helps build confidence when we compete. All of our hard work, sacrifice, and discipline builds a mutual respect for one another and helps develop skills which one can only learn through being part of a team -- the Slug Tennis Team.

Every year our goal is to be National Champions. We accept the fact that we cannot control the outcome, but we certainly can control the way we approach this lofty, yet realistic goal. If we think like champions and act like champions, we will be Champions.

Jerry Lynch, Sports Psychologist, has worked with many Champions from the Chicago Bulls, to Duke University's Men's Basketball program and finally with the UC Santa Cruz's Men's Tennis program. 

"I Have Had The Distinct Honor Of Working With Coach Hansen And The Seven Time Slug National Men's Tennis Team For The Past 20 Years As A Sports Psychologist And Advisor. During That Time Span,I Have Also Been Privileged To Have Been An Integral Part Of A Total Of 33 Other National Championship Teams In Division One Athletics At Duke,Maryland,North Carolina And Stanford In Basketball,Lacrosse,Soccer,Field Hockey,And Volleball. Having Experienced All That Success, The One Program That Clearly Stands Out Above All Others Is The Tennis Program At Ucsc Under The Guidance Of An Amazing Visionary And Legendary Coach, Bob Hansen. Like All 33 Teams, Ucsc Has Won It's Share Of Titles Yet It Is In The Realm Of Character And Personal Development That Bob's Program Truly And Most Importantly Excels . He Not Only Develops Great Athletes, He Instills And Inspires In All Of His Athletes Courage, Compassion, Commitment, Patience,Persistence,Fearlessness,Tenacity,Respect,Dignity And Above All, A Sense Of Integrity. We Must Agree That These Qualities Are The Foundational Building Blocks, The Essence Of Highly Functional And Successful People In All Aspect Of Life. At Ucsc Tennis, You Come In A Boy And Leave As A Man,Responsible, Respectful,Reliable,Dependable And Accountable To Yourself And All Who Come Into Your Life. It Is A Program That Prepares You For The Game Of Tennis,And Uses That To Help You Succeed In The Bigger More Important Game Of Life. Men's Tennis At Ucsc Is The Icing On The Complete Educational Package At This Remarkable Learning Institution. Hansen's Program Is A Class Act( Physically,Educationally,Spritually And Emotionally),The Standard By Which Excellence Is Measured In Every Division Of Ncaa Athletics Nationwide. My Broad Experience Working With So Many University Programs, Tells Me This Is So. Anyone Who Has Been Fortunate Enough To Be Part Of Bob Hansen's Journey In Athletics Realizes That Their Life Is So Much Richer And Wider Because Of That Experience. I Certainly Feel That On A Deep Personal Level"

-Jerry Lynch