Undefeated 2011 MAPL Champions

Varsity
Lew Stival, Head Coach

Junior Varsity
Rod Gerdsen, Head Coach

The boys’ tennis season runs from April through mid-May.

Blair Tennis
For nearly a century, Blair has maintained a rich tradition in boys’ tennis, fielding competitive teams and producing scores of fine players, many of whom have gone on to have successful careers at the collegiate level. From the unbeaten 1930 team that scored shutout victories over the Princeton Freshmen and Lawrenceville, to Frank Hammond, who starred at Yale and who went on to become a legendary tennis chair umpire whose fiery presence made the great matches between Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe all the memorable, to the unbeaten 2010 team that captured its first MAPL championship, Blair tennis is alive and well.

The Blair Tennis Center
The fall of ’07 marked the opening of the Blair Tennis Center, a beautiful 10-court facility that ranks as one of the finest schoolboy facilities in the Northeast. With 10 Deco Turf II courts (the same as those as the U.S. Tennis Center), five of which are lighted, the team has the opportunity to play on a wonderful facility. In addition, our spacious new Tennis House includes locker rooms, a coaches’ office, storage and a second-floor balcony overlooking the courts. The patio that surrounds the Tennis House provides a perfect spot for watching tennis.

Tennis Center Wins Kudos
9/09 -Blair’s new tennis center, which encompasses the Sloane Tennis House and 10 courts, was recently recognized by the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA). The facility, designed by Sasaki Associates, Inc. (based in Boston and San Francisco), was a winner in the “outdoor tennis” category of the ASBA’s annual awards program which promotes the highest standards of construction excellence.

Trey Sasser, a senior associate with Sasaki, said, “The Sasaki core group of design professionals who worked on the Blair Academy project was fully immersed in nuances of the Blair landscape and master plan, the unique geotechnical site, and the need to successfully relocate and reengineer a sports facility program. One of the most exciting outcomes of this effort was the accommodation and construction of a new tennis center, a 10-court facility that opened in late 2007 and, arguably, ranks as one of the finest prep school facilities in the Northeast.

The Coach
A former USPTA professional and club pro, Lew Stival has been at the helm of Blair Boys’ Tennis for 24 years. The New Jersey Herald Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1992, Lew has been coaching high school tennis for more than 30 years and has had the chance to work with players at all levels. Many of his former players have continued with the sport after Blair, and two former players, Todd Smith ’90 and Ryan Pagotto ’97, returned to coach with Lew over the years. As the longtime Dean of College Counseling and co-author of the book, Understanding Athletic Recruiting: The Complete Guide for the Student Athlete, Lew is uniquely qualified to help his players find appropriate colleges to fit their talents and interests.

The Mid Atlantic Prep League
Blair Academy is a proud member of the Mid Atlantic Prep League (MAPL), a conference committed to providing the very best of athletic competition and adhering to the highest standards of sportsmanship. Along with The Peddie School, The Hun School and The Lawrenceville School from New Jersey, in addition to Pennsylvania schools Mercersburg Academy and The Hill School, the MAPL is regarded as one of the most competitive athletic conferences in the country, and tennis is no exception.

The NEMA
Established at Blair Academy in 1997 and in 2006 moved to The McDonogh School in Baltimore, MD, the New England/Mid Atlantic Tennis Tournament (NEMA) is one of the premier schoolboy tournaments in the East. Each year, 16 teams from as far away as Ohio, Massachusetts and Virginia converge to compete during this two-day tournament. The NEMA is a great way for our players to compete against some outstanding players from other parts of the country.

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