Captain's Log with Mike DePietro: Spring is Here!
3/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Captain's Log with Mike DePietro
THURSDAY, MARCH19 -- Spring is Here!
I would like to wish everyone a Happy belated St. Patrick's Day! Hopefully you all enjoyed it and really got into the spirit of the holiday. I wore my St. Patrick's Day shirt, so there was no way I was going to get pinched! It seemed like all the students were utilizing the nice weather to celebrate the holiday and I'm sure you all did the same.
Speaking of nice weather, I think that my favorite time of the year is spring time in Ann Arbor. At the first sign of warmer weather, people seem to all rush outside and enjoy themselves. There are people throwing Frisbees in the Diag and girls laying out trying to get a tan. All of this creates this feeling of happiness that is incredibly infectious. An outsider would probably think that the people of Ann Arbor are crazy, because in reality the temperature is only hovering in the low 60s. But I think that is just because spring is even more appreciated by those of us that live here. It really is a long and brutal winter, and warm weather is truly a luxury to us, especially for the students, who for the most part are not in Ann Arbor when it has its nicest weather during the year. So we tend to cherish the handful of months during the school year where we can socialize outside and walk to class in shorts (imagine that!). Spring is just a wonderful time and it really does justice to the beauty of the landscape, people and overall city of Ann Arbor.
We actually practiced outside yesterday, which is always a weird feeling. I really become adjusted to playing tennis indoors every day, so playing outside takes a little getting used to. But, I personally love playing outside and actually prefer it. I think that tennis was meant to be enjoyed outdoors and that's why I get excited when the nice weather finally hits.
Our team is working hard to prepare for the Big Ten season that begins this weekend. The non-conference schedule is important and it gives the team many great opportunities, but it's the Big Ten season that I always look forward to. Every team has a clean slate and an equal opportunity to vouch for that coveted Big Ten title, which is extremely motivating. Also, our first match happens to be against Minnesota, and there is a small rivalry between our two teams. Since my freshman year, the winner of the match has received the right to a trophy, The Little Brown Jug. Michigan has been the home of the trophy the past two years and we are going to do our best to keep it that way.
That's all for now and hopefully we will be 2-0 in Big Ten play when I'm writing next. Have a great weekend, enjoy the weather, and Go Blue!
Players Mentioned
