BOYS TENNIS: DV duo makes sacrifice for betterment of team

They could have been champions.

After finishing as the runners-up in the state 5A Division I tennis doubles championship last year, Desert Vista’s Barnaby and Ahmad Saleem could have had the inside track to the title this season.

Instead, they decided to take one for the team.

“They came to me and said they would like to split up this year because they thought it would put us in a better position to win two doubles matches every day and take the pressure off everyone else in the single,” Desert Vista coach Wayne Brimley explained.

Brimley may be in his first season as a boys varsity tennis coach, but he’s worn a whistle around his neck long enough to be open to a legitimate proposal.

“Barnaby and Saleem would have had a good shot at state,” Brimley said. “I was going to leave them together. That would have been easy, but they convinced me otherwise.”

Both are ranked US Tennis Association Southwest Section tournament players. Saleem is a sophomore and Barnaby is a fourth-year starter with a knack of getting his point across.

“Jacob and Ahmad are the key to this whole thing,” Brimley added. “Jacob, especially, is beyond his years as far as wisdom when it comes to being a leader, making the team run well and helping the other guys at every level.”

Barnaby and Saleem will also be on the top two spots of the playing ladder, followed by Austin Coe, Michael Sato and the Wong brothers, Brad and Bryan.

Barnaby will be paired with Coe while Saleem will be playing with Sato in doubles. The Wongs will make up the third doubles team.

“Austin ran track and cross country,” Brimley explained, “so he’s strong physically and that gives Jacob someone he can rely on. Ahmad and Michael are good friends and the combination seems to work well so I’m hoping that we’ll consistently have a one-two punch in our doubles.”

The Wong brothers also lobbied Brimley to let them play doubles together.

“Brad will be graduating next year and Bryan is a freshman and they wanted to try the opportunity to play together for one year,” Brimley said.

Again, Brimley was persuaded by talent, not emotion.

“Bryan was a key to our first win of the season,” Brimley said. “His comeback put us at 3-3 in singles and without that win we would have lost. Bryan is very solid mentally and it’s nice to see a freshman who could have a long, storied career at Desert Vista.”

The Thunder were hoping to get more experience this weekend in the annual multiple-school Kiwanis Tennis Tournament in Phoenix.

Brimley took over the program after Jane Stanley ran the freshman season during the fall but was due to have a baby this spring. Both teachers in the Desert Vista business department and Stanley asked Brimley if he’d be interested in the position.

“I’m happy it sort of fell into my lap because it’s a great experience,” Brimley said.

He feels the Thunder are solid this season.

“It’s just a matter of mental toughness,” he said, “because it’s a long season.”