- Mike Scolamieri
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Mike Scolamieri 
Sport(s) Tennis Current position Title Head coach Team Saint Peter's College Conference Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Biographical details Born February 13, 1942 Place of birth 
VeniceCoaching career (HC unless noted) 2005-present Saint Peter's College Accomplishments and honors Awards Coach of the year 2009/2010 Mike Scolamieri (born in 1942 in Venice, Italy) is the men's and women's tennis coach at Saint Peter's College. As of now, he has been the head coach for both teams for more than five years. Recently, he led the men's tennis team to the MAAC conference semi-finals in both 2009 and 2010. As a result of his controversial methods and indisputable charisma, he is often considered one the greatest coaches still active in both men's and women's tennis at college level in the United States. Along with his achievements, his loveable personality has also made him a cultural hero in Jersey City and surroundings, and although the tennis coach is expected to retire in the near future, his name is likely to remain as one of the pioneers that helped Saint Peter's College athletics rise to a considerable amount of succes and fame.[1]
Contents
Early life
An only son to a wealthy Italian elite family, Mike Scolamieri and his family fled to the United States during World War II, after Benito Mussolini's regime endangered the lives of the Scolamieries. He grew up in the projects of Jersey City, in harsh conditions facing prejudice because of his Italian descent. It wasn't long before he discovered basketball which became his life's passion. His ill-fated family depended on his basketball talents during the early stages of his career. Scolamieri was one of the star players for St. Aloysius High School, where he graduated in 1959. In that same year, Scolamieri and his teammates managed to win the New Jersey State Championships. He then continued his basketball career at St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, Kansas, but after he began feeling homesick, he returned to his homestate and transferred to the New Jersey City University. There he earned his bachelor degree in Social Studies, with a minor in English. At Columbia University he earned an M.A. in Curriculum and Teaching.[2]
Scolamieri usually coaches and teaches at the critically acclaimed Yanitelli Center, the athletic center of Saint Peter's College
Tennis coaching career
After having abandoned his basketball career forever, he decided to focus on tennis instead. His coaching career began when he was appointed as the head coach of the men's tennis team of St. Mary’s High School in Jersey City. In addition, he is a well known member of both the Arlington Players’ Tennis Club (APC) in Kearny, NJ and the Balboa Park Tennis Club in San Diego, CA. In 2002, he was one half of the APC Doubles Champions. Scolamieri recently resigned as captain of two adult league teams in the Arlington Player’s Tennis Club. He is a 30 year member of the United States Tennis Association and is a certified Cardio Tennis Instructor. Much to his own surprise, he was offered a job at Saint Peter's College in 2005. When he started, he was appointed only as the coach of the men's tennis team, but later he also took over the women's team when their coach departed. Alongside of his wife, assistant coach Eliza, he has been in charge of both tennis teams ever since, achieving a considerable amount of success and critical acclaim.
Style and vision
Whereas other tennis coaches of his era trusted upon recruiting athletes from within the region of New Jersey, Scolamieri had more faith in recruiting talented athletes from other states, countries and continents. His coaching style is known to be calm, timid and especially conflict-avoiding. It was noticed by his players that much of his knowledge of tennis was taught to him by former SPC coach Lenny, who has achieved international notoriety after introducing the world with unorthodox shot techniques, including the karate-backhand-slice and the alligated forehand. Scolamieri himself believes that every action has a reaction, and people perceive things the way they want to perceive things. It is as a result of these philosophies among other qualities that Scolamieri has risen to notable status, as claimed by other coaches, but by his players in particular.
Recruiting Igel
Often Scolamieri has been credited for recruiting Sergey Igel (pronounced SUR-gay I-gel), who was born in Uzbekistan in Asia. When Igel was recruited in 2007, he had not yet made a name of himself, but under Coach Scolamieri's wings, Igel quickly rose to prominence and excelled in all four years he played for Saint Peter's College. In his last season, being appointed as co-captain, Igel lost only one singles match and was named to the All-MAAC Second Team.[3] Following up on his successful run at Saint Peter's College, he will start playing Future tournaments next season and will attempt to become the number one player of the world, which has been his dream ever since he started playing tennis in Tashkent at the age of five. Igel has already been compared to Paradorn Srichaphan and other Asian tennis stars.
Notable players recruited
Men's tennis
Sergey Igel
Robert Forai
Edwin Huisman
Alexander Frakes- Christopher Frakes
Luccas Coutinho
Lukáš Pospíšil
Brian Ventura
Sebastian Barbero- Nichollas Goulart De Lima
Fabian Valdiviezo
Women's tennis
- Alexandria Livingston
Kyrsten Chen- Joniesa Williams
Ivana Grbelja- Vanessa Vogel
Jessica Nowogrodzki
Linnea Enoh-Jansson- Angie Garma
Adina Ungurean-Halagian
References
- ^ The rise of Coach Scolamieri, Jersey Journal, 11/17/2010
- ^ Men's Tennis Roster - Mike Scolamieri, SPC 2011. Saint Peter's College http://www.spc.edu/pages/2316.asp?ssid=8421&bid=3482
- ^ Three Men's Tennis Players Named to All-MAAC Second Team, SPC May 2011. Saint Peter's College http://www.spc.edu/pages/2317.asp?ssid=8421&nid=142907
Categories:- Tennis coaches
- 1942 births
- Living people
- Italian sports coaches
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