Handing over coach’s racket
MEDICAL LAKE – Some athletes and coaches are legends in their own minds, and some are just legends. Without a doubt, Medical Lake High School assistant boys tennis coach Leroy Lemaster is a legend.
The title, “assistant coach,” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue for those who know Lemaster as the Cardinals’ head man for 20 years in two separate stints at Medical Lake, but it suits him just fine to help new coach Justin Blayne during the leadership transition.
Blayne, a 2002 graduate of Medical Lake, was a five-year assistant to Lemaster and, in the veteran mentor’s opinion, more than ready to take over the program and keep it running at a high level – in the last seven years, the Cardinals have won two State 2A boys championships, finished second four times and third once.
Their No. 1 player this season is Max Nelson, second at State last spring after a third-place finish as a sophomore and fourth in doubles his freshman year.
The coaching role reversal is scarcely an issue, said Nelson, who is Medical Lake’s captain.
“Leroy and Justin are so similar in their styles that it’s hardly seemed like a transition at all,” he said. “They’re both around all the time and they work so well together that it’s been really smooth.”
More problematic, he noted, has been the terrible spring weather, which has disrupted the Cardinals’ schedule and made it hard to stay focused.
“At the beginning of the season,” he said, “we were shoveling snow for two weeks straight, and then we missed a lot of matches, so it gives you kind of a disconnected feeling – you have a couple practices, play a match, and then don’t play again for a week. It’s been tough.”
Both his current and past head coach have high praise for Nelson, whom they describe in superlatives for his demeanor and work ethic both on the court and in the classroom, where he’s valedictorian of Medical Lake’s senior class. He hopes to play in college, but says that will depend upon his choice of schools. He’s considering the University of Washington, Harvey Mudd College, Washington University (St. Louis) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“Tennis is an extremely mental game,” said Blayne, “and physical ability can only take you so far. Max’s strength is that he doesn’t get frustrated, so he never gives up and is always optimistic about the next point or the next game. He has the kind of confidence in himself that tells him as long as you’re in it, you can win it.”
And speaking of confidence, having Lemaster around has helped Blayne to feel a sense of relief in taking over the program from a coach with the history of success and community recognition that his predecessor enjoyed.
“I respect him so highly,” he said, “and I think even more now than I did before. It’s a different and unusual situation, but we’ve worked together in a really positive way. It takes strong character and good communication skills, and the commitment to always talk through any issues.
“The big thing is, it’s not about us, but about welcoming kids whether they’re beginners or experienced players. We try to foster character as well as tennis skills.”
What about the legend?
Lemaster, who not long ago had his 70th birthday, was recently named Northwest Sectional Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations, not only for his coaching success but for his tennis-related fundraising work in the community.
And will he back next season for an encore of his new role?
“I’m enjoying it,” he said, “and I told Justin that as long as I’m healthy and he wants me back, I’ll be around.”