Maryville鈥檚 Mario Aleksic enjoying spot on tennis team
ST. LOUIS聽— Mario Aleksic knows what it means to play tennis for Maryville University. After all, his older brother Bodin was once a star on the men鈥檚 team. You might say that tennis runs in the family.
Aleksic says he looks at his brother as a mentor and guide when it comes to playing tennis. He says that he looks to both of them, and any veteran on the team for that matter, to guide him and his teammates by helping to build confidence and share their experiences with younger players.
And there鈥檚 certainly plenty of experience on the team. Donovan McKnight, the team鈥檚 assistant coach, was once a star for the men鈥檚 team and is a close friend of Mario and Bodin. But he also says a good rapport with your head coach is important.
鈥淐oach [McKnight] is like a father to us,鈥� said Aleksic. 鈥淗e is the one who puts everything together.鈥�
Aleksic says he鈥檚 optimistic about where the men鈥檚 team is headed this year, and that they hope to make it as far as Regionals. He feels they have a good shot at it because the team is off to a strong start. He also senses a special connection with his teammates. He says the chemistry of the club is 鈥渞eally good,鈥� and that a strong sense of camaraderie is a key factor in any team鈥檚 success, as well as collaboration and having one common goal
鈥淵ou have to be positive and communicate,鈥� Aleksic said.
Of course, being a college athlete can be challenging. Aleksic says that time management is really the hardest part of trying to balance school with tennis. He also mentioned the sacrifices that a college athlete has to make, which includes quelling their energy and minimizing the life of the party.
But at the end of the day, Aleksic is proud to be a part of the men鈥檚 team and have a chance to represent his native country of Montenegro. He says that being proud of his heritage is something that motivates him to be the best player he can possibly be.
He also appreciates the work that his teammates and coaches put in to make the team successful. He highlighted the importance of what teammates and coaches do to help the team through the ebbs and flows of the season, the ups and downs, and how they help them overcome tough losses or any sort of adversity that comes their way.
鈥淲e are down when we lose,鈥� Aleksic said. 鈥淏ut every defeat is a new lesson and it gives us more motivation to work.鈥�
He also mentioned how the coaching staff helps the players work on tactical things during periods of adversity to help prepare them for the next game and learn from their defeat.
Aleksic says he embraces challenges and moments of adversity, and that it drives his focus when on the court.
鈥淚 like pressure,鈥� Aleksic said. 鈥淚 get more adrenaline. So I like to stay in the moment and to fight it.鈥�
Aleksic says that he wants to continue on with sports after college. He says whatever he does will hopefully have a sports connection. He says he hopes to have a professional career in tennis once he gets out of school.
But right now, his focus is solely on the court. He says he wants to give his best effort and contribute to what he and his teammates hope can turn into the best season in Maryville men鈥檚 tennis history.
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