T

here are many reasons 
for the Frankel Jewish 
Academy boys tennis 
team’s remarkable success 
since Larry Stark took over as 
coach in 2015.
Talent and hard work have 
been the driving forces behind 
the Jaguars’ five appearances 
in the Division 4 state tourna-
ment in Stark’s seven years as 
coach.
Frankel qualified for state 
in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, 
finishing as high as eighth 

place in 2015, before its 
13th-place finish this fall.
The Jaguars had never quali-
fied for state in 15 years before 
Stark was hired following a 
successful seven-year run as 
the West Bloomfield High 
School boys tennis coach.
Behind the scenes, a family 
atmosphere has been the glue 
that has kept everyone on the 
Frankel boys tennis team on 
the same page through a sea-
son each year that has stops 
and starts because of religious 

32 | NOVEMBER 4 • 2021 

SPORTS

Family First

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

holidays and bad weather.
The lifting this season of 
COVID-19 restrictions that 
were in place last fall allowed 
those family ties to blossom 
once again.
“We actually could have our 
motivational huddle before 
each match and give each 
other a high five for a good 
point,” said senior Matthew 
Kay.
Perhaps nobody has ben-
efited more from the family 
atmosphere created by Stark 
than Kay, a team captain since 
he was a sophomore and two-
time participant in the state 
tournament (2019 and 2021).
Douglas Kay, Matthew’s 
father, died in 2009. Ronna 

Harwood Kay, his mother, 
died in 2018. Andrew was 
5 and 13 when his parents 
passed away. He’s now 17.
“Coach Stark has been like a 
father to me,” Matthew said.
The feeling is mutual for 
Stark, who named Matthew 
the team’s Coach’s Pick for this 
season for all his extra efforts 
as captain.
“My wife and I have two 
daughters. Matthew is like a 
son to me. I’m going to miss 
him when he goes off to col-
lege,” said Stark, a 2006 induct-
ee into the Michigan Jewish 
Sports Hall of Fame following 
outstanding tennis careers 
at Berkley High School and 
Michigan State University.

Frankel Jewish Academy boys 
tennis team’s success is built 
on and off the court.

 Matthew Kay was a 
captain of the Frankel 
Jewish Academy 
boys tennis team for 
three years.

FRANKEL JEWISH ACADEMY

RICK DORN

 It was a happy bus ride 
home from Grosse Ile 
after the Frankel Jewish 
Academy boys tennis team 
qualified for the state 
tournament.

