Coach Chuck Jacobs Has High Goals For EFSC Tennis

By  //  August 1, 2013

first year for womens tennis program

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The Eastern Florida State College spring season, the first for women’s tennis which joins men’s soccer as new EFSC athletic teams, most likely will consist of 14 matches, one tournament and the Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference championship. (BrevardCC.edu image)

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida State College head women’s tennis coach Chuck Jacobs has specific goals in mind when setting his first fall season schedule.

Chuck Jacobs
Chuck Jacobs

“I was looking to keep it light but competitive,” said Jacobs. “I wanted to concentrate more on fitness over the fall so we will be stronger when it comes to the physically demanding spring season.”

That spring season, the first for women’s tennis which joins men’s soccer as new EFSC athletic teams, most likely will consist of 14 matches, one tournament and the Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference championship.

The conference tournament will determine whether EFSC advances to the NJCAA Division I postseason. But for now Jacobs is focused on the fall.

USTA/ITA SHOWDOWN

“The (season-opening) USTA/ITA Showdown (Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at Melbourne’s Florida Tech) will be a good indicator to see where the players are individually in their tennis without the pressure of a team event,” Jacobs said.

Heavily recruited Isabella Sella of Brazil will start her collegiate career at Eastern Florida.
Heavily recruited Isabella Sella of Brazil will start her collegiate career at Eastern Florida. (BrevardCC.edu image)

“The (Sept. 20-22) Panther Invitational at Florida Tech will be a real test to see how we are developing as a team. Most of the competition will be NCAA Division II teams which produce strong opposition from line one all the way through line six. My goal was the strong competition that we face there will help us the next weekend when we go into our own conference tournament at the ITA Regional.”

Jacobs sees the Sept. 27-29 ITA Regional at Altamonte Springs’ Sanlando Park as vital. It will be the first time other FCSAA coaches will see the Titans compete in tennis and will serve as a benchmark for EFSC to determine where it needs to develop for the spring.

TITANS CLOSE THE FALL SEASON

The Titans close the fall season at the Oct. 4-6 C.L. Varner Invitational at Rollins College in Winter Park.

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EFSC begins fall practice on Aug. 5 at Melbourne’s Jimmy Moore Tennis Complex at Sarno and Wickham roads. (BrevardCC.edu image)

“Although we will be playing some NCAA Division I and Division II teams at Rollins I believe we will be incredibly strong individually and will be able to compete at the highest level,” Jacobs said.

EFSC begins fall practice on Aug. 5 at Melbourne’s Jimmy Moore Tennis Complex at Sarno and Wickham roads. Jacobs expects to carry six players for the fall.

On board are five: sophomore Kaila Cochran of Indialantic, FL and Melbourne Central Catholic High; freshman Hope Fellows of Cocoa Beach, FL and Cocoa Beach High; freshman Laura Gorski of Palm Bay, FL and Palm Bay High; freshman Isabella Sella of Valinhos, Brazil and Adoniran Barbosa School and sophomore Masa Smic of Ljubljana, Slovenia who transferred from Wichita State University.