Tennis - Boys 1st Team
Schedule
Overview
Tennis - Boys 1st Team
Team. Team warm-up. Team practice. Team dinner. Team travel. Team pre-season. If we can strive to produce a team atmosphere in practice and off the court, it will translate into match play. To know that the player next you and the player next to him are working for the same greater goal that you are allows you to leave everything you have on the court for the good of the team. Tennis is an individual sport. The tournament circuit is a lonely place of intense competition that can turn the sport of tennis into work.
Tournament to tournament, lose once and go home. Every decision made on the court reflects on you and you alone. Not at Brooks.
However, no matter how much you emphasize team, each player is an individual with strengths and weaknesses. The Brooks tennis program will bring a high level of technical instruction for players of all levels along with a knowledge of point construction and the mental part of the game. Alex Skinner, head boys’ varsity coach, played for the varsity tennis team at Brooks for four years (2004 to 2008) capturing awards such as ISL Player of the Year, New England Class A Prep School Champion, and Merrimack Valley Student-Athlete of the Year. He then continued on to play at Boston College (2008-2012) where he captained the team his senior year, ended his career ranked 43 in the country in Division I doubles and captured singles wins over schools such as Clemson, NC State, Miami, Columbia and others. He has also been teaching tennis at clubs throughout Massachusetts for the past six years.
Matches (six singles and three doubles) are played every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon during the spring season. Brooks is one of 16 teams in the Independent School League, one of the top leagues in New England, consistently producing New England team champions in the A, B and C divisions. In the event of rain for practice or matches, Brooks has two indoor facilities within five minutes of the school, Cedardale Health and Fitness Club and Willows Racquet Club.
The Brooks tennis program will strive to improve the individual athletes throughout their four years both as a player and as a person and will prepare them for life and competition during and beyond high school — all while creating a team atmosphere and support system around those individuals. If you are ready to work hard, develop your game and give all you have for the sake of the team, Brooks tennis will be an ideal place for you.
Coaches
-
Head CoachAlex Skinner '08 is a former Associate Director of Admission and Director of Physical Wellness at Brooks. He earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Boston College, where he played tennis for four years and captained the team as a senior. In 2019, Skinner completed a master's degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as the Director of Tennis at Chatham Beach and Tennis Club in Chatham, Mass.; Executive Director of Serving Stars, a USTA National Junior Tennis and Learning program in Lawrence, Mass.; and is the co-founder and CEO of clubcloud, a tech company supporting racquet and fitness clubs. He lives off campus with his wife, Alyssa, and their daughter, Isabella.