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A history of tennis
When Lary Duque arrived in the area, he noticed immediately that there was something missing. It wasn’t even the warm weather he had left in Northern California. There was a noticeable absence of outdoor tennis facilities.
Duque, who had played tennis since he was a small child and graduated to head pro at several country clubs back in the Golden State, took action. He began teaching his three-year-old son Joseph tennis, practicing in church gyms in the beginning then moving up to facilities as they became available.
“It’s really difficult,” Duque says. “That’s why the kids I found here in Rexburg are really good athletes because they play a lot of different sports. So they’re able to transfer to another sport like tennis.”
Now, Lary Duque coaches tennis at the high school, runs a camp, and hosts the Duque Tennis Program.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”2/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Results of state doubles
The Madison High School boys’ doubles team of Joseph Duque and Mitchell Blanchard took home 2nd in the state tournament on May 19. They performed incredibly, just coming short to the Eric Lim and Nick Byrne doubles team from Boise.
The week before, Duque and Blanchard, both now graduated seniors, claimed their second consecutive district title leading up to the state championship.
“Going into it, we knew there was going to be some tough matches,” says Joseph Duque. “We were excited to play them.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”11361″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Duque and Blanchard had previously defeated Lim and Byrne at the Capital Invitational, a midseason “pre-state tournament.”
“We ended up pulling out a victory that was really close and intense,” says Blanchard. “We’d seen them before but we knew that they were tough.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
The competition
As graduating seniors at Madison High School, Duque and Blanchard have had several years of experience that have helped them to where they are today.
“We’ve been a pretty good group of tennis buddies all four years of high school,” says Blanchard. “So we’ve always pushed each other and gotten better off of each other.”
Joseph Duque adds that constantly playing matches and tiebreakers and competing against their number two doubles team of Christen Packer and Cameron White helped motivate them to face their opponents.
For Lary Duque, a big part of the challenge of teaching at both the high school level and in his program is reframing the timeline for tennis in the kids’ minds.
“Finding facilities for our kids to play, and to transfer them into thinking that tennis is a year-round sport instead of just through the months of March and May is a big challenge,” he says.
At the camp Duque runs, 30-36 kids participate in a structure of gradual learning. There, the kids learn ball tossing, hitting, rallying, and short courting. Through this, Duque and his instructors slowly ingratiate the kids into the competitiveness of the game.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/2″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]
Advice for younger players
For those planning on getting into tennis, or for their children to start in tennis, the boys’ doubles team has some advice.
“Start early and don’t put it off as a low priority,” Mitchell says simply. “And work hard.”
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/2″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”11364″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]As someone who wishes he had started earlier, Mitchell says that the earlier you start and the harder you work, the more it will all pay off in a state championship.
“If you love it, then you encourage yourself to grow stronger and get better,” he says. “And if you get better and grow stronger then you’ll love it even more.”
There are many avenues today for young people to start learning tennis. At the Duque Tennis Program, he provides both group and individual lessons. He also has his summer camp and works with Madison.
“He just loves teaching tennis and seeing people that want to learn,” says Joseph.
Those interested in learning more can visit the Duque Tennis Program Facebook page, where they can also get into contact with Lary about getting started.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]