While Ann Arbor Greenhills tennis players have come and gone during the school’s phenomenal eight straight Division 4 championships, senior Mitchell Gajar has been around for all of them.
That’s because he’s the son of coach Eric Gajar, who has coached Greenhills for 22 years and racked up 11 state titles.
Whether the team wins No. 9 in a row this weekend in the finals at Holly and Fenton (Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett is the favorite), Gajar’s influence on the program — and his son — is undeniable.
“What separates my dad from other coaches? I notice every day at practice and when he comes home, he loves to be there and he loves the game,” said Mitchell, a senior on the No. 1 doubles team. “He loves being part of the team and loves being a part of the program. He enjoys every moment of coaching and he loves the competition, which is why I think we have a very strong schedule. We play Division 1 and Division 2 schools. It’s a big part of what makes him a good coach.
“I think being a part of this team has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I made it onto the varsity as an alternate my sophomore year and I moved up to No. 2 doubles and now it’s No. 1 doubles. Watching as a kid I always wanted to be part of the experience. Now that it’s here, it’s a dream come true.”
Greenhills has been a nightmare for opponents. Hosting last week’s regional, they destroyed the field, winning every flight and scoring 24 points.
“We didn’t drop a set, it was a pretty good run,” said Coach Gajar.
Liggett and Traverse City St. Francis pose the biggest threats to end Greenhills’ streak, but with two freshman in the lineup in Kaan Oral at No. 2 singles and Henry Branch at No. 4 singles, it’s safe to say the Gryphons aren’t going away.
“I have a lot of good players is the first thing,” said Gajar. “They come in and they know they have to compete for spots, so they get after it and they work pretty hard just to get into the program. They come ready to go. I’ve had lots of siblings that have passed through and been around the program and watching since they were younger. They buy into it and aspire to it. That’s always good.
“Then another thing is when the tennis season switched in 2007. A lot of people who had good, athletic guys playing football and tennis lost some of those guys. We don’t have a football program so I don’t think that hurt us any.”
Mitchell was one of those young kids watching and aspiring to make the team. Dad isn’t easy on his son, but when it counts they see eye-to-eye.
“He grew up and can play the game now,” said Gajar. “He’s a big kid, can hit the ball hard. It’s fun to have him out there. He was probably in fourth- or fifth-grade when this started. He has gotten better as he has gotten older. He has seen me work with other players and been around, so now we have an agreement that when we step into the facility, I’m coach and not dad. He probably thinks I’m a little harder on him. It may be true.”
Five seniors are in Greenhills’ lineup: Sam Talsma at No. 3 singles; Gajar at No. 1 doubles, Andy Xie and Matt Chatas at No. 2 doubles and Max Froehlich at No. 4 doubles. Youngsters Oral and Branch are joined by sophomores Trey Feldeisen at No. 3 doubles and Drake Rosenberg at No. 4 doubles. Juniors Sonaal Verma at No. 1 singles, Jack Harris at No. 1 doubles and Sushruta Shankar at No. 3 doubles round out the lineup.
To get ready for states, the Gryphons face Ann Arbor Pioneer and Huron, perennial powers in Division 1.
“The culture around the Greenhills tennis team and the support we get from the school is what I think makes it really special,” said Talsma. “The school is so supportive and the team … even though we’re only together for a season or two, we’re definitely more of a family then teammates at the end.
“We’re always looking to get better, we’re always looking for a good match. We’re going to have fun. Every match we play we always go out with the same face. We’re always focused and we’re always ready to work hard, no matter who we are playing or where we are playing or the situation.”
Talsma was one of those youngsters hanging around, envisioning himself in the lineup.
“As a senior, especially, the way I feel about the Greenhills tennis team and the fact no matter where I end up next year, I’ll definitely come back and visit,” he said. “The guys before me impacted the way I see this team and the way I want to leave it.”
That would be with a ninth-straight state title.
Contact Perry A. Farrell: 313-222-2555 or pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @perryfarrell12.
State finals
When: Friday-Saturday.
Where: Div. 1 — Midland Tennis Center; Div. 2 — Holland; Div. 3 — Kalamazoo College; Div. 4 — Holly and Fenton.
Tickets: $5 per person or $10 per car.
Junior Sonaal Verma plays No. 1 singles for Ann Arbor Greenhills.