New Coach Will Lead East Hampton Boys Tennis Team

A local tennis club and camp director is taking over the East Hampton boys tennis team.

Pablo Montesi, who has worked at Future Stars Southampton for over a decade, and who also runs a tennis academy in Miami Beach, Florida, said he’s looking forward to this new opportunity.

“When I heard about this, I was excited. I thought I would be honored to be part of the school system,” Montesi said. “I was an assistant coach at the college level, and here is a way for me to continue developing that and helping players and teams take their game to the next level.

“I really want to give back to the community, and I love the team aspect here.”

Back to lead the Bonackers are seniors Miguel Garcia, Nick Cooper and Cameron Mitchell, along with the younger brothers of the latter two: Henry Cooper, a sophomore, and Kiefer Mitchell, a junior.

“It’s been really nice meeting everybody,” said Montesi, who is also U.S. Professional Tennis Association certified and a Professional Tennis Registry-certified instructor. “They are a good group that has welcomed me. I’m dedicated to providing the best for them, and I’m looking forward to having a great season.”

Montesi — a native of Chile who first came to the United States on a tennis scholarship to Kansas’s Benedictine College, where he led the team to three conference championships — said he’s looking to foster good teamwork, above all else, along with building strong values, staying positive and showing respect. He’s hoping with that, success will follow.

And he had a lot of players to choose from, with over 30 students showing up for practice. He said it made it more difficult to focus on upcoming competition, choosing his final lineup just last week, but said he’s happy with the Bonackers he’s chosen.

While the Coopers and Garcia will fill in the singles slots, and the Mitchell brothers will play doubles together, rounding out the lineup are Cole “C.J.” Baumrind, Griffin Beckmann, Lucas Centalonza, Joseph Martinez-Garces, Carlos Quintana and Marcus Wechsler.

“The new guys are a little nervous about being put in different positions, but they will get there with time and training,” Montesi said. “They are excited to be part of the varsity team.”

With the wind making it difficult to practice since the team was formed, the coach said he’s hoping changes in the weather pattern can help him better assess his athletes and begin training regimens.

“We obviously need more time together, but we are getting there,” Montesi said. “I am learning their styles and their personalities, but it’s been really rewarding. The training has been fun. Hopefully, I have had a small impact on them already.”

He said the Bonackers are focused on taking it one match at a time. East Hampton opened nonleague play Monday, March 25, at Ward Melville, and hosted Islip on Tuesday, March 26. The Bonackers travel to Half Hollow Hills East on Thursday, March 28, for a 4:30 p.m. nonleague match and wrap up nonleague play with a 4 p.m. contest at Commack on Tuesday, April 4.

East Hampton kicks off its conference schedule at home against Center Moriches on Thursday, April 4, at 4:45 p.m.

“I’m looking to make the best out of this,” Montesi said. “East Hampton has always had a very strong team, and I’m going to try to do as good a job as possible. It’s going to be challenging, but we are going to work hard, and our expectation is to always do well.”