6B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMoriday - April 13, 1998
TENNIS
'M' tennis superf an leads small crowd'
Eric Sturgis,
a.k.a. Superfan,
watches and
roots for the
Wolverines during.
a close matcha
betweena
Michigan and
Minnesota thisk
past weekend.
LOUIS BROWN/Daly
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By Mark Francescutti
Daily Sports Writer
f you have been to the Varsity Tennis
Center for a Michigan tennis match
lately - and judging by the crowds,
you probably haven't --you may have
noticed a particular 12-year old boy
cheering in the stands.
That's Superfan.
He cheers for the team he adores, for
the game he adores and for the people
lie adores.
That's Superfan.
He talks with all the coaches and the
players - they know him by his first
and last name.
That's Superfan.
He knows who's playing, can tell you
about late updates in the lineup, and
knows more about Michigan tennis
than most of the coaches in the country.
That's Eric Sturgis - the 12-year-
old Michigan tennis superfan.
His grandmother, a huge tennis fan
herself, started it all when she gave him
a racket when he was three. He started
to swing it and his love for the sport
snowballed through the years.
Sturgis participated in peewee tennis
at age four and now plays for the
Huron Valley Tennis Club where he
participates in numerous tournaments
throughout the year. An Ann Arbor res-
ident, Sturgis hopes to play tennis at
Michigan sophomore John Long's alma
mater - Huron High School - and
then, of course, play collegiate tennis
for the Wolverines.
But how does one become such a
great fan of Michigan tennis?
Well, Sturgis' grandmother knew
Michigan women's tennis coach Bitsy
Ritt through an old high school friend
and when Sturgis was seven, she
brought him to one of the women's
meets. He's been coming to almost
every single one ever since - includ-
ing the Big Ten championships.
But for anyone, becoming a
Michigan fan is as easy as stepping
through the doors of the Varsity Tennis
Center.
"It's because you can get to know
most of the players, and its fun to talk
to the coaches," Sturgis said. "I can go
up to Bitsy and talk for 15 minutes she
gives me the Big Ten composite sched-
ule."
When was the last time you asked
Lloyd Carr for the Big Ten composite
schedule?
Probably the biggest draw of tennis
matches is the accesibility of players
and coaches. After their exhausting
matches are over, the players come and
sit in the stands and talk with the few.
loyal fans who came.
But there are still other appeals to
watching tennis matches at the Center.
First of all, every match is free.
Twice each season, hors d'oeuvres are
served before the match - also free.
Like Crisler Arena, Yost Ice Arena
and Michigan Stadium, there is an
overpriced concession stand with the
standard fare. But unlike those other
places, the Varsity Tennis Center is only
a year old - and has nice new bath-
rooms, to boot.
The excitement experienced in those
other Michigan venues exists in the new
tennis facility, also. One such case hap-
pened just this past weekend, when
senior Arvid Swan battled back to win a
9-7 tiebreaker - giving the Wolverines
a close 4-3 win over Minnesota.
The few fans at the Center were on
the edges of their seats for more than
10 minutes.
Although the Center is new, there are
some areas that can be improved -
and Sturgis has his own suggestions.
"I think they should have a person
who can direct the people," Sturgis. "I
suggest they have a host here and an
announcer that could help people out."
And still, Michigan's home courts
are empty. Even worse, there seems to
be more fans for the opposing team at
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the meets.
Last Wednesday's match against
Michigan State might have confused a
newcomer. About 200 fans sat in the
bleachers of the center. About 150 of
them were rooting for the green and
white.
"Come try it once, if you don't like
it, don't come" Sturgis said. "Tennis is
gaining popularity and if we could draw
more and more fans it would great"
Sturgis says he can explain why
Michigan fans are nowhere to be seen
at the meets.
"I think its because a lot of people
don't care about it" he said. "I know a
lot of kids and adults who like to play
but don't like to watch it."
So Sturgis has tried to bring as man.
friends from his tennis club as possible
to support his favorite team.
"It will be fun for them and it gets
them really learning about tennis -
you'll be able to see them play and
learn how the players play and learn the
game,' Sturgis said. "I would rather go
to a college match than any other
match because the fans can sit here and
relax and do whatever they want."
The next match for the Michigan
tennis team is Thursday against Notre
Dame.
LIONS
Continued from Page 1B
their serve.
"We've just been really consistent'
said Blain. "We've won every point so
far on our serve.
The No. 3 doubles team did not hav
as easy of a time. Senior Mike Pusztai
and sophomore John Long, trailing the
entire set, lost 4-8 to.Matt Nielson and
Marc McCallister. This doubles spot has
played inconsistently all season for the
Wolverines and Eisner has tried four dig,
ferent combinations at this spot and is
considering another change.
"No. 3 has had some ups and downs"
said Eisner. "We're going to have to ta
a look at that to see if that is the team
that should be together. We've tried all
different combinations and we still have
not found the right solution:'
The No. 2 doubles team of Jake
Raiton and Matt Wright found the right
solution. The duo battled back on more
than one occasion and finally defeated
their opponents Marc Dortman and Eric
Meditz, 9-8 (7-4). Michigan's No. 2 duo
has also won six straight matches.
The Wolverines showed fatigt9
throughout their singles play but
nonetheless came up with all six victo
ries, including five in straight sets.
Senior David Paradzik, Blain and
Long all won easily, withoug having
problems with their opponents.
Long got back on track after his first
loss of the season against Michigan
State on Wednesday by clobbering Marc
McCallister 6-1, 6-3.
"When you play against guys like we
have, playing the opponent is like a
break" Long said.
Arvid Swan had a little bit more trou-
ble against his opponent, Marc
Dortman, but was still able to come up
with the victory. He won the first set
easily, 6-2, but struggled throughout the
second, and found himself in a tiebreak.
Dortman "wasn't playing as well, as
he was capable of in the first set," Swan
said. "Then he started to play better a4
I did not raise my level."
But Swan has played well all season.
in singles and he didn't let up, winning
the second set tiebreaker an the match
with a dominant finish.
"I'm trying to concentrate and I'm in
better shape," Swan said. "Luckily, I
won the match"
Swan earned his 11th straight victory
and leads the team with a 27-9 record.
Matt Wright and Will Farah alsi
struggled in their matches, but came
back to earn victories.
"Matt was extremely exhausted and L
saw that in Will Farah too." Eisner said.
For further information
and to register, please
contact:
University of Michigan
Academic Outreach
1210 Buhr Building
837 Greene Street
764-5300
aocourses@umich.edu
Tuition: $245 per credit hour*
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Michigan men's tennis player Matt Wright won his No. 2 singles match yesterday
at the Varsity Tennis Center, defeating Penn State's Colin Smeeton, 7-6, 6-3.
* plus infrastructure fee
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