By Moses Leos III
Over the last 11 years, life for Lehman High head tennis coach Orlando de la Fuente has been defined by what goes on between the baselines of the tennis court.
Teaching students about serves, volleys and smashes, however, wasn’t always a focus for the longtime educator, who was a baseball player in his youth.
Finding parallels between the two sports led de la Fuente to pursue a path in the world of tennis. He’s now ushering his son, Diego, into the same world.
De la Fuente, who played baseball at Harlingen High and then St. Edward’s University, said he played recreational tennis with friends during his college days.
He grew to enjoy the sport, as it was “very dynamic” and “very technical.”
“There are a lot of little things that lead to success,” de la Fuente said.
He soon found the sports paralleled each other in certain lights, both from a physical and mental perspective.
The footwork needed in baseball mirrored that of tennis, de la Fuente said. In addition, the mental aspect of baseball is similar to what’s needed on the tennis court.
“It’s the importance of being mentally strong and focused and keeping your composure,” de la Fuente said. “It’s a struggle for a lot of younger players.”
It didn’t take long for tennis to take hold in de la Fuente’s lifestyle. After his baseball playing days were over, de la Fuente obtained a job as a middle school teacher and tennis coach. He then moved up to coach tennis at Crockett High in Austin, followed by taking over the Lehman tennis program in 2004.
“(Tennis) seemed like the natural direction (to go),” de la Fuente said.
During that time, de la Fuente saw how tennis evolved from what he watched in his youth.
Today’s game, he said, is played at the baseline, aided by advancements in technology, such as improved rackets.
He remembered the days of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, who were “all-around” players. De la Fuente said they played not only at the baseline, but at the net as well.
“You used to see all around court players in the past,” de la Fuente said. “That used to be the norm.”
In addition, de la Fuente said he has seen more children take part in specialized tennis classes over the years.
His passion of tennis was passed on to his son, who is now a freshman at Lehman High.
Diego’s passion for tennis began when he was 12 years old. At the time, de la Fuente said he and his son always played tennis together in south Austin.
While Diego continued to play tennis, de la Fuente said he often “let him figure things out” on the court. While he did coach him in middle school, he offered to help with the “bits and pieces.”
“It’s funny, but teenagers do not always want help,” he said.
But de la Fuente lauded his son’s progression during his freshman year at Lehman. He said Diego accomplished “what was expected,” which included winning matches in a difficult 14-6A district, which saw him take on opponents from perennial powers such as Westlake and Lake Travis.
“This district is so nasty,” de la Fuente said. “He did was well as he was expected to do.”
But the ability to have his son on his team is a meaningful experience for de la Fuente. While it can be frustrating at times, de la Fuente said it was a “great opportunity” and that it’s “rewarding.”
“It’s important to me. (Diego) is a positive influence on everyone else,” de la Fuente said. “It’s nice to have balance. They know he’s my son, but he’s also a player on the team.”
