At the girls tennis Division 3 state finals, all eyes were on the Vineyard athletes competing for the state title. But while the girls kept their cool on the court, their parents watching them were in “full-on panic,” said Mike Johns, father of third singles player Josey Johns.
Mr. Johns is the head tennis pro at Farm Neck, where he works with tennis pro Mike Halisky, stepdad of first singles player Laina Dubin. Both men’s relationship with their daughters have taken shape, in large part, on the tennis court. The men also help run Vineyard Family Tennis (VFT) in the off season.
When Josey was young, Mr. Johns would park her stroller with a view of the court while he gave lessons.
“The poor kid’s been stuck [at Farm Neck] and at VFT most every day since she was born,” said Mr. Johns. “It’s such a visual thing…she’s just been around it.”
Both Josey and Laina have been training at VFT since they were six years old. When it was Vineyard Youth Tennis, the free year-round program trained the boys and girls teams that would go on to win half a dozen state championships at the regional high school, a reign that ended for the girls team in 2019. When the program’s structure changed, there was a gap in the athletes feeding into the high school as VFT rebuilt the program.
“We went from free to nominal, but still it makes a big difference… when there is a cost involved,” said Mr. Johns. “Those were frustrating years.”
But the program’s payoff returned this year.
Tennis dads reflect on their daughters’ path to the state championship.
— Jeanna Shepard
“We were able to keep more of these kids involved, and now we’re finally seeing them come through with a healthy sort of bullpen behind them,” said Mr. Johns.
When the Vineyard faced Dover-Sherborn in April, Laina lost her match in the third set tiebreaker, giving up a lead after fumbling a floating volley and an overhead shot. After the match, Mr. Halisky and Laina practiced on the court for almost three hours.
“I didn’t want her to dwell on it, I wanted to forget about it,” he said. “Let’s get right back on the horse and go out there.”
Laina is a go-getter, said Mr. Halisky. She’s not satisfied with the status quo, and she’s extremely coachable.
She’s also amazing under pressure.
“She’s laughing off that last 10-minute point that she lost,” said Mr. Halisky. “That’s taken me and my wife a long time to get used to — especially [my wife]. She’s like, ‘What is she doing? She just lost that one, but she’s smiling?’”
Josey likes the problem solving part of tennis, said Mr. Johns. As he paces with nervous energy on the sidelines, Josey keeps her calm, never getting too high or too low.
Mr. Halisky calls Josey “ice girl” after Swedish tennis player Björn Borg, nicknamed “ice man” because he never showed any emotion.
“It makes her so smooth, she doesn’t overdo it, it’s just enough to get another ball back,” said Mr. Halisky.
Josey, a freshman, only lost one match this season, against Monomoy. Mr. Johns said he “tiptoed” into the conversation after the loss, but Josey was quick to explain where she fell short. It was not excuses, but analysis.
“She gives me this analysis, and I’m kind of thinking, where’s this coming from?” said Mr. Johns. “And then I’m thinking, oh yeah, because I parked her in that stroller over there for so many years.”
Mr. Johns got onto the court with Josey afterwards, hitting some heavy serves to her like she faced in the match. The next time Josey met the Monomoy opponent, she won.
Both girls reached another level in their tennis this season, Mr. Halisky and Mr. Johns agreed.
Laina’s state final opponent was a pusher, a style of patient, high-balling tennis that is extremely challenging to face. When Laina was down early in the third set, all Mr. Halisky could think about was the pressure.
“That’s the sign of a true champion, is you find a way under the worst circumstances,” he said.
The morning after the match, Mr. Halisky slept in until 8 in the morning.
“That’s wild if you know him,” said Mr. Johns.
Usually, there’s no sleeping in with Mr. Halisky: he’s been up at 5 a.m. for 20 years.
Mr. Halisky admitted he can be a tough coach and an intense, protective spectator. But watching his stepdaughter, and feeling the pressure from the sidelines, has had a good effect on him, he said.
“It’s made me a better tennis pro, working with all the girls and especially Laina,” he said. “It’s made me a little more compassionate.”
Mr. Johns said that playing tennis with his daughter is part of their hang time, a natural part of their relationship.
“I think it’s an easy balance,” he said, reflecting on his position as coach and dad. “It’s part of dadding.”
