Fresno City College takes pride in athletics once again. Coach Steve Loop, assisted by Brad Stein, and their men’s tennis team are off to a great start with a 5-0 record, not including the Modesto Junior College Tourney results.
This winning attitude isn’t a fad; they have a great team with a lot of passion for the sport. Their 2008 season, resulted in a trip to the Men’s State Championship match where they unfortunately lost to Ventura. Still, they took second place at the state level and that’s something to be proud of.
Last years team ended with a California Community College (CCC) Number 2 state ranking and had two players in the top ten CCC state single ranks, Nicolas Ernst at number 4 and Jose Hilla at number 6. FCC also had two doubles teams in the top ten CCC state ranks, Nicolas Ernst and Hank Bessinger at number 9, and also Jose Hilla and Ignacio Lucero at number 10. In the Northern Region, FCC had the Number 1 singles and doubles.
So why the success? The team has experienced coaches who know how it feels to win and how to coach a winning roster, and the players, they love the game and they have a passion for it. They like to win; they have a thirst for victory all season long.
“… I think about tennis everyday. I keep envisioning us winning the state championship and I get butterflies and the chills every time I think about it. That’s why I’m always talking about it and writing these things to you guys, because I don’t want us to be unprepared. I hate to lose and I know no one here likes it (Game Day: What is a Champion?, Hank Bessinger).”
This is the passion and the love for the game that the team carries. This is what they are about, they’ve been to the state championship before and they know they can get there again. Hank Bessinger, the sophomore tennis player, has that championship on his mind, he could almost feel it.
“… I love this team, I love tennis and I love the opportunity we have to compete for a championship.”
The FCC Men’s Tennis Team is composed of fifteen elite players: Isaias Arroyo from Roosevelt High, Hank Bessinger and Jake Cavanaugh from Clovis East, Nick Castro, Brian Stafford, and Jason Tatoy from Central, Brad Fernandez from San Joaquin Memorial, Taavi Himmist from Estonia, Travis Johnson, Bruno Nagel, and Troy Kellenberger from Sunnyside, Vinnie Miranda from Crockett, Ca., Bartos Micher from Germany, Joao Nogueira from Brazil, and Javier Paredes from Edison.
A newcomer to the team, sophomore Joao Rodrigo Nogueira, was recruited by Coach Steve Loop from Brazil. Nogueira has been playing tennis since he was ten years old and loves being here in Fresno. He mentions that both his coaches, Steve Loop and Brad Stein, are good coaches. They pay a lot of attention and help him out a lot. “They inspire me and treat me like family.” He is also very appreciative of his teammates, whom he says is a cool team that acts like a family and helps him out with his English.
Fresno City College has one of the most competitive teams in the state community college district. On Saturday FCC was victorious over Somona State University winning 5-4. First singles, Joao Nogueira won 6-1, 6-2 over Connor Olson and second singles Hank Bessinger defeated Zel Sperry 6-1, 7-6. Nogueira and Bessinger, teaming up for first doubles also accumulated a win over Olson and Smith from Sonoma.
There is still plenty of regular season matches left to go out and support the FCC Men’s Tennis Team. It all leads up to the big months of April and May. April in which they will have the opportunity to compete in tournaments and playoffs, hopefully leading them to the State Tournament on May 9-10 at Natomas Racket Club in Sacramento, California. Good luck to the entire team as individuals, and as a team. Reach for what you envision, a State Championship. Good luck.
“… To be a champion you must think like one, talk like one, train like one, believe like one….” “Let me tell you what a championship means or what it means to be a champion. It signifies that a person or team went further than the rest. It’s the ultimate test of strength and belief. It’s directly correlated with character. It’s stretching oneself or team to the max. It is the purpose of not just tennis but life to try and be the best you can be,” Hank Bessinger, FCC tennis player.
