With no distractions, Bulldog doesn't lose

Chris Black didn't have to worry about playing golf, which helped him become Pasco County's player of the year.

By STEVE LEE

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 1, 2000

ZEPHYRHILLS -- Chris Black has juggled tennis and golf since he was 6 years old, so as one might expect, he has become rather proficient at both.

And though tennis has taken a back seat to golf of late, that change of heart cannot hide the fact that Black is the best tennis player in Pasco County.

"That's all I do is play golf and go to school," Black said.

Well, not quite all.

From the beginning to the end of the tennis season, Black was the player to beat.

Nobody did.

Black capped his junior year at Zephyrhills by qualifying for the state tournament in No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles.

A family vacation to Lake Tahoe, however, prevented Black and doubles partner Chris Hinkle from making the trip to Jacksonville for the tournament. "We were trying to change our flight," Black said of his family's efforts to reschedule the vacation days before the tournament. "I'm kind of disappointed, but when I look at it, I got to spend time with my family. You've got to weigh the odds."

Despite missing that competition, Black's 18-0 record in singles and 14-2 doubles mark cannot be overlooked.

All of which makes Black the Times All-Pasco County Boys Tennis Player of the Year.

Especially rewarding for Black, who has hung up his racket for now and travels to New Jersey this weekend to play in a junior golf tournament, was winning a district title this season.

Last year, Black lost in the district final to Hernando's Gary Mancini while trying to compete simultaneously in the golf and tennis post-season. "I was a little bit upset last year, losing the district final," Black said.

"It was kind of a driving force."

With golf moved to the fall this past season, tennis commanded Black's undivided attention, and he defeated Hudson's Marcus Ressler in the Class 2A, District 7 final.

Black and Hinkle then beat Ressler and Mark Hofmeyer to avenge an earlier loss to the Hudson duo.

"We just showed them that when it means something, we're going to beat them," Black said.

"I would have liked to have gone to states and see how I would have done because that's like the club level." Black has played at that level since he was 6 years old and at times has been ranked among the state's top 25 players in his age group by the United States Tennis Association.

Black cited "burnout" for switching his focus from tennis to golf.

"I've been playing tennis for a long time and playing on a high, competitive level," he said, adding that his goal is to secure a golf scholarship. Playing for Zephyrhills as its No. 1 player this season proved enjoyable for Black, who said he took on more of a leadership role.

"Before a lot of the matches, my teammates were not pumped up. I just tried to talk to them," Black said.

"It was a lot of fun."

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