A few years ago, many of Buena’s sports teams would have only dreamed to have the success that they have had this year, including the boys tennis team. 

This year’s tennis team has gotten the farthest that they have been able to get with the last round of CIF taking place May 4, 2022 as they competed against Montclair High School. With the end of the tennis season, it’s important to remind ourselves of how far the boys tennis team has come. 

Last year they had to forfeit many matches, but thanks to the dedication of  Coach Robert Jacobson Duteil and the team, they were able to make it all the way to CIFs this year, breaking records. 

During the pandemic, all sports struggled to continue with their sport, including the tennis team. Previous to the 2021 school year, Buena had to find a new coach. Then appearing out of the mist, RSP teacher Duteil came along. 

“He really made a difference to the program, ” Jane Schrepel, mother of tennis player Henry Boldt said. “He has a good personality, keeps it positive and cares about them.” 

He has been coaching tennis for two years at Buena, but he’s not new to the world of tennis at all. He started playing tennis in his junior year of high school with the coach being his Spanish teacher. Even though he had no professional experience, he made his high school tennis team and played during his time at his university. 

His passion for tennis is what made him strive to do all that he could to have enough funds for a boys tennis team. 

“I wrote probably 50-80 donation requests last year when I got here,” Duteil said. “It changed things.”

With the donations they received, they were able to “appreciate” or experience the sport on another level, as Duteil expressed. For instance, the boys could then begin practicing with real tennis rackets, rather than racquetball rackets.   

The donated equipment also pushed them to put in the hours to get better at the sport itself. They began practicing three hours every weekday on their off season, with the exception of Fridays when they only practice two hours. 

According to Duteil, the team is now making “college level plays” and he is proud to see that “when they leave the court, they leave everything”. 

Since they started with very little financially to start a good tennis program, Duteil sees it as a testimony that proves that money “ is not an excuse for failure”. 

“Your money is not as effective as your hard work,” Duteil said.