Untamable Tigers

Howland tennis continues county domination

By JOE SIMON Tribune Chronicle
Finding the right job is essential to almost anyone.

Waking up and going to a dreadful place where minutes seem like hours and hours feel like days is a scenario most people do anything to avoid.

Paul Newlove was in that position a few years ago when he worked at a computer software company. The now-Howland High School tennis coach taught on a part-time basis at a club in the area, and the more he worked with players, the more he began to realize his true mark.

‘‘I had a computer software job before. I got tired of looking at computers and wanted to do something a little more interesting,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s been a passion of mine, because besides teaching my own kid, there was a kid from Kennedy, Theresa Fabrizio, who had one functioning arm. She played tennis for Kennedy and I coached her, more or less, her whole high school career. And it was just so much fun.

‘‘It’s just fun to see a kid develop and get better.’’

It was around this time that Newlove found another passion: coaching. And the Howland Tigers are sure glad he discovered it when he did.

The Tigers have lost to a Trumbull County team just once in Newlove’s four years at Howland. The Tigers’ record has gradually improved each year (12-6 in 2005, 14-4 in ’06, 14-3 in ’07 and they’re currently 13-3 with two matches remaining) and they’re an annual contender in the Metro Athletic Conference.

Their one loss was to Kennedy in Newlove’s first season, but this year it’s been smooth sailing for the Tigers, who begin Division I sectional competition today in Solon. Newlove said the balance is the main reason he’s as optimistic about a team as he’s ever been.

‘‘Boardman and Kennedy probably have the two best players in the area,’’ Newlove admitted. ‘‘We just have a lot of good players. Our top five players are really very good, which is why we beat Kennedy and we beat Boardman. We don’t have a whole lot of weaknesses. The third singles (player) was first-team All-MAC two years ago. Four of the five players have been first-team All-MAC at some time in their careers.’’

A big reason for the Tigers’ sustained success is their continuity, says senior doubles player Matt Schroder.

‘‘The biggest reason is we’re all friends,’’ said Schroder, who added that their year-round work ethic is another key component. ‘‘As a team, we always go to Avalon (Golf and Country Club). We go to clinics. Some of us work there, so even when we’re working, we’re playing tennis.’’

Schroder and teammate Thomas Kovoor are seeded third at today’s sectional tournament at Solon High School. The tournament, which begins at 8:30 a.m., was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was moved up to avoid inclement weather. Newlove said it was a virtual toss-up as to which doubles team was seeded. He said his No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, while unseeded, can certainly make some noise in the tournament as well.

‘‘We have five players who are very similar, but they have different strengths,’’ Newlove said. ‘‘The kid who is playing three singles for me today, when he was a freshman, he played first singles. The kid who played first singles for us last year, is first doubles this year. The kid who’s playing first doubles this year, was first singles last year. They’re all pretty equal.’’

Schroder said he never envisioned himself as a doubles player, but a workout this summer changed his mind.

‘‘I’ve never played doubles before and I was never considered a doubles player,’’ Schroder said. ‘‘I worked with a guy in the offseason who was a doubles player, and it kind of changed the way I played.’’

He said he and Kovoor have been gradually improving, and he expects to do well this weekend. A big part of their success is based on difficult competition throughout the season, he said. The MAC annually is a tough conference in tennis (Poland is the only team from the area to beat Howland) and he expects that to prepare them for today’s matchup.

‘‘You’re happy to have the competition we do in the MAC,’’ he said. ‘‘All the teams are so equal that you can’t overlook anyone. Poland never really seems to lose, and Canfield is always good. But as long as we have our full lineup, I think we’re as good as any team around.’’

The Tigers have a chance to prove that starting today.

jsimon@tribune-chronicle.com'>jsimon@tribune-chronicle.com