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03/31/2016 12:00 AMDan Shapiro has a vast background in tennis, along with connections to several Westbrook athletes, and so it was essentially game, set, and match as soon as he applied to become the school’s newest head coach.
Dan, a Westbrook resident, claimed Eastern Connecticut Conference crowns for both singles and doubles in his senior year at Waterford High School before graduating in 1984. Following four varsity seasons at Hamilton College in New York, Dan became the freshman coach and a varsity assistant with the Knights’ boys’ basketball squad. Now this spring, Dan is returning to the tennis court in a different capacity as the new head coach for Westbrook boys’ tennis.
“I was informed about the coaching opening and coaching tennis is something that I always wanted to do. I interviewed for the position and was hired shortly afterwards,” says Dan, who graduated from Vermont Law School in 1992. “I want to build a foundation here. We have a lot of juniors on the team, but of course, they will be gone in two years, so I also want to develop the freshmen and sophomores to build that foundation of being good for several years. When I took the job, we had six players, but already we’ve grown to 16. I want to grow the numbers and develop, so we can compete with the schools in our conference like Valley Regional, Old Saybrook, and Old Lyme.”
Dan says he tries to maintain an intense, but relaxed atmosphere with his athletes. He aims to build a fun environment that also breeds crucial life lessons for the future.
“I try to always keep a close relationship with my players. We do sports related and also non-sports related things to keep things still fun,” Dan says. “I also try to teach them about things that go beyond basketball and tennis. I want the kids to have fun and also compete at their highest level.”
Westbrook boys’ basketball Head Coach Jeff Beeman says that Dan has a great rapport with his athletes and adds that Dan is always thinking about the next challenge.
“Dan is the most committed, passionate assistant coach I have ever had. We talk daily throughout the season about opponents, strategy, personnel, etc. But by far, his best attribute is his ability to create personal relationships with the players and read their highs and lows and then coach them accordingly,” says Beeman. “I have worked with him for six years now and could not image not having him with me on the sidelines.”
There’s no clock in tennis and so sometimes matches last as long as three hours. Knowing that, Dan feels that mental stamina is just as crucial as physical conditioning.
“Three important prongs I try to teach them are skill development, strategy—such as where you are hitting the ball, but also why you are doing that—and mental toughness,” says Dan, who works in Hartford at the attorney general’s office. “I think the mental toughness on the team can improve because you really have to be mentally strong during some of these matches.”
As Dan begins his journey with the Knights this spring, he says it’s an incredible moment as a mentor when he sees individuals grasp concepts and techniques. Still, the real icing on the cake for Dan is when he sees them learn the true meaning of teamwork.
“In coaching tennis, I take pride and joy in seeing the kids strive to improve and take that next step up,” Dan says. “I also love seeing the kids get better at becoming a team. You don’t become a team until you learn to support each other, I feel. It’s when you have to help pick somebody else up when they are down, things like that are what bring you together as a group.”