Rudy Moya
On May 15th, 2008, I was able to interview Rudy Moya of the Lyford High School Tennis Team. I was fortunate
enough to see him make history and become the closest player that Lyford has ever had to
qualifying for the regional championships. Normally, this would be impressive enough; however,
the pre-interview research would uncover just what an enormous feet this really was. Rudy made
history on his last high school year without the benefit of a coach! Moreover, the coaches that he did have
knew very little about tennis or even bothered to register him at several tournaments - automatically
sending him into the losers bracket. In addition, he stepped up as team captain and became the
one the other players actually looked to for coaching. Add the fact that he was also competing in
baseball and soccer, and you have to wonder why his picture isn't next to the definition for fortitude. It means mental and
emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously. Most other athletes would have quit
under this kind of pressure. RGVTENNIS.COM is proud to bring you this interview with an amazing young man.

RGVT: Ok, Rudy, first thing's first. How old are you?
RM: I'm 17

RGVT: I know that you made history, and we'll get into that in a minute; but how did you start playing tennis in the first place?
RM: Actually, I was kind of like watching it on T. V. and then going outside...my dad and mom showing me a little bit with some
of their old racquets and then all my brothers got into it. Then we started playing on concrete slabs that we had, which were
actually perfect size....and then also against the wall when we had time.

RGVT: So, when you say the old racquets, do you mean the old wooden racquets? (laughs)
RM: (laughs) Yeah, we used their old wood racquets until we bought our own. That lasted about a week until we decided we
wanted to get modernized (laughs).

RGVT:  Wow. So you got the basics from your parents and from watching the professionals on T. V. Who did you like to
watch play on television to learn from?
RM: Alot of players but mostly Patrick Rafter and Andre Agassi. That's who I remember the most...at the finals of Wimbledon.

RGVT:  Was that back when Agassi had long hair and the "image is everything" commercials and all that?
RM: Yeah. I was about nine years old back then.

RGVT: Very cool! Ok, let's talk about your tennis. Did you start competing in school at a young age?
RM: Yea, I started my 7th grade year and then it wasn't offered my 8th grade year and then I had it my freshman year
through my senior year.

RGVT: So, you competed and then had to take an entire year off?!?
RM: Yes, well, I had no choice; because they didn't even offer tennis at the school in my 8th grade year. They had it my 7th
grade year because their were six of us, they didn't offer junior high tennis my 8th grade year and then all four years of high
school.

RGVT: How was the program back then? Do you remember how they started you out?
RM: Um...yeah, they started us out with drills and stuff; but since I was more advanced than what he originally thought I was,
he would have a certain junior high only day or come in the morning and I would practice with the high school kids.

RGVT: So you were in junior high but practicing with the high school team? How did that work out for you?
RM: Uh..it worked out pretty well. I beat pretty much most of them so coach had to start practicing with me from then.

RGVT:  Who was your coach?
RM: At that time it was Coach Bacca.

RGVT: Was he your coach all through high school?
RM: Um...he was my coach up until last year. He stopped coaching this past year.

RGVT: So you lost your coach in your senior year? Right when you really needed one?
RM: Yeah, and that's what started the carnival ride this year. We went through three tennis coaches this year.

RGVT: (Incredulously) Three coaches?!? How in the world did that happen?
RM: Our first coach was brand new to the district this year. Then for some reason, I don't know what really happened but
he was let go. Then we had a coach...a temporary coach who was with us for almost a month until baseball season
started. Then we had Coach Gonzales who just came in after basketball and didn't know anything about tennis. He was
just mainly here to just take us to tournaments really. He didn't know that we had to already be registered or that we would
automatically be put in the loser's brackets and our matches wouldn't count. (Editor's note: This means Rudy did not
receive any credit for his victories during these tournaments).

RGVT:  So these weren't actual certified tennis coaches? I mean they weren't certified by the United States Professional
Tennis Association or anything?!?
RM: No. Nothing at all. The first coach was just a coach who played a little in high school and the other two had never
played tennis at all before. Didn't even know how to keep score or hold a racquet or anything.

RGVT: Well, let me ask you this...I mean....you made history in being the closest athlete that Lyford has ever had to
qualifying to go to regionals. I'm wondering, how did you do this without the benefit of a coach? I'm not understanding
how you ever got to be good enough to reach such a high level. How did that happen?
RM: Yeah, that was more a result of me just practicing and practicing. Actually, when I was a freshman I was the one who
had to teach the upper classman how to play. There was also a girl that was in the same situation to where her and I
only got to have actual practice on Thursdays. To be honest, we really only actually practiced one day before the
tournament and that was it; because we had to build up the rest of the team....we had to look out for everybody else since
we had no real coaching. We had to make time to actually practice, me and Sharon, to practice against each other.

RGVT: So how did you get good enough to beat almost everybody?
RM: Well, that was through most of my high school years. This year I practiced mostly with Lee Salinas and we would
play a lot of doubles against each other and just tried to find time to fit in and get the most out of what little practice
time we had. That way we could get the faster game and playing the net down.

RGVT: Wow. How did you pick up strategy without a coach showing you what strategy to use or what it even is?
RM: Most of the time, I would just spend time analyzing everything. I'm one of those types of people that analyzes everything
first and then I do it. I try to find the simplest and fastest way to do it.

RGVT: Wow, you don't see too many people your age being able to do that without the benefit of someone having
shown them. I find that amazing, because entire courses are taught on strategy and technique. You've never taken
any actual lessons?
RM: Nope. I've never taken a lesson...jut from what my parents taught me and Coach Bacca early on until he couldn't
really help me anymore. The rest I kind of just picked up myself from looking at other people or looking at the situation,
here in practice. Or, creating a situation that could occur...at practice and then solving that situation.

RGVT: What did you pick up from your parents? What did your parents teach you?
RM: My parents really helped me with my ground strokes and what to do. They taught me all the fundamentals like holding
the racquet correctly. They gave me my foundation and I took it from there.

RGVT: I saw part of your last match when you got third in district. I talked with your opponents coach and heard him
discussing strategy and technique before his student played you. He even talked to him during the match on your
weaknesses. You being there and not having a coach....I mean, your opponent had coaching from a guy who really
knows the ins and out of tennis and how to stratagize; and it's amazing that even without those kind of benefits you
were an inch away from pulling it off and defeating him. I can just imagine how good you would be if you had spent
some time at the tennis center. I mean, does that make you feel good or bad?
RM: I, of course, would have much rather had qualified for regionals. But, yeah, we did talk about that situation later
when we were eating dinner and at least I can say: "Yeah, I got here pretty much on my own". I realized that and it
kind of calmed me down afterwards. But, I'm not gonna lie, I much would have preferred to win (laughs). Because last
year I also got third place and I really wanted to qualify to go to regionals (Editors note: You have to place at least
second to qualify for regional competition).

RGVT: Well, you are the closest that Lyford has ever had to being a regional qualifier and I'm sure everyone is extremely
proud of what you accomplished. Let me ask you, do you plan on continuing to play tennis? Do you plan on playing
in college?
RM: Yeah, I plan to just join the tennis club; because I don't think I really wanna play for U.T. on the tennis team. I mean, I
want to try out for the team; but I'm not too sure what my odds are of making it. I do plan on going to U.T. to study
radio, television and film and get an education. I'd also like to do pre-law and after that go to law school.

RGVT: Good! Good! Have you ever thought about playing in the U.S.T.A. in a league? (Editor's note: U.S.T.A. stands for
the United States Tennis Association).
RM: I thought about joining it, because our assistant principal is actually Coach Hernandez, the La Feria tennis coach, she
is actually his wife. She is actually trying to get me to do it this summer, but I took classes at TSTC and that wiped out the
entire month of June. But I was interested in playing in the summer in league and playing throughout the summer, and I was
thinking of joining and playing throughout up in Austin.

RGVT: Well, the league competitions are only once a week. I know a lot of people who have said that they didn't really
improve until they started playing in the USTA league. I do recommend that you join and continue playing tennis. Do you
intend to continue your tennis?
RM: Oh, yeah. For sure. For sure....and I am going to pass it on down to my kids.

RGVT: Good. So you're already thinking that far ahead?
RM: Well, yeah, because my family's done it. I mean, we've come out here and we've played for hours on end. And, I'm
talking my entire family. We get my aunts and uncles out here and my cousins and stuff....so we've played even with
them before too. We like to make it fun for everybody so I would like to make it fun for my kids too. Because, I've had
fun doing it with my family.

RGVT: Talk to me a little bit about the Lyford tennis program or lack of program. What would you like to see change as
far as Lyford is concerned?
RM: Well, for starters I think actually getting a coach that at least maybe played before not someone fresh to it. Like I
appreciate his effort and stuff and him coming in; because if not I would never have had the senior season. So, that would
have made me worse off. Mainly getting someone who actually knows what they're doing and actually having other
people care about it rather than people just playing around with it. Because a lot of times we just get thrown to the
dogs by the upper coaches or directors, so that would be the first thing and most important thing that I would like to
see changed in the Lyford situation.

RGVT: If it makes you feel better. Most of the schools where I do interviews, they all say the same thing with the exception
of Harlingen and La Feria because of the Harlingen Tennis Center. When you have the advantage of USPTA Certified
Tennis Professionals and 18 lighted tennis courts, it's easy to see how they would have an advantage on places like
Lyford where that frame of mind is not available.
RM: As far as our facility, I think maybe getting lights out here would be great so that we don't have to stop practicing
just because it gets dark. And maybe having maintenance dust it off every once in a while. As you can see there is
quite a bit of debris and it makes it tough when no one seems to care. And then also providing the tennis students
with water. Most of the time we have to bring our own in jugs or what have you. Sometimes the trainer would bring
some and he would bring us some water only once a week. And the water jug that he would bring was kind of small
and there were like a lot of us. So, as you can probably imagine, that little bit of water would go by quick and then we
wouldn't have any left for the rest of the practice.

RGVT: Is there a Quickstart tennis program or does it start later at junior high?
RM: Uh...no there isn't anything like that. There is no junior high program around here even. We have the 21st Century
after school program during the summer....but none of the kids really pick it up.....I mean it's not....which I don't....I really
can't blame them because they only do it for only one month in the summer and that's it. Like they don't get anything
else throughout the rest of the year for tennis at all except a little bit of attention for this one month. And as far as
having a junior high program goes, we haven't had a junior high program in Lyford since I left junior high school. And that
was four years ago.

RGVT: So there is no program to start people off at that age group at all?!?
RM: No. Just high school tennis and that's pretty much all there is.

RGVT:  So how does someone at that age get started playing tennis around here?
RM: Pretty much....well...pretty much on their own...from their own background. I guess kind of like mine, like the way
that I did it. Because their family likes to play tennis and they play socially as a family or maybe if they move in
from out of town and they played somewhere that had a program at another school. But they come in already
knowing some tennis. There is pretty much no foundation here or a place for you to get a foundation or education
on tennis here. You pretty much have to come in knowing it already. Unless you want to wait all the way until you
get to high school, even though that is really late, to try and build it up from there. We've had that happen to some
and I know I've had some students that I have had to teach this past year. We've had a lot of new people and the
school has relied on me having to teach them how to play and get their balance and stuff. And, of course, that took
away from my time to practice. Not trying to be selfish or anything, but it really did take away from my own time
where I could have been practicing and getting stronger. But, around here, most people end up having to do that,
enter into tennis their freshman or sophomore year and trying to pick it up and get good before their senior year
and be able to be competitive.

RGVT: I heard you were the captain all four years of high school.
RM: Yeah, because when I was supposed to be learning, because of the lack of a program, I was actually having
to teach tennis to the others. I was expecting to come in and learn and was having to be the one to teach.

RGVT: Did that help you to learn more or study more to be able to teach it? Did it make you a better player somehow?
RM: Not really. It did teach me to have more patience in having to deal with them, the other students. And also being
more disciplined, I guess. And when it was finally my turn to get a little bit of practice, it taught me to go all out because
I knew I wasn't going to have much time to make it count.

RGVT: Ok, let's talk technique-wise. What is your best tennis stroke? What's your weapon?
RM: Probably my first serve, when I can get it in. But, I also think my forehand is pretty reliable, and on a good day
my backhand is there for me.

RGVT: You have a two-handed backhand or a one-hander?
RM: I have a two-handed backhand. I realized I needed more power and control with it and could put it wherever I
wanted rather than a one-hander where I could only lob it up there. Especially in doubles, because there is your
opponent at the net and if you don't have the power with one hand to hit the ball deep or over their heads, they
will ram it down your throat!

RGVT: Ok, what about strategy? Anyone ever cover strategy or hitting in patterns to you?
RM: Um...Coach Bacca, in the beginning, basically told me to hit it away from my opponent. (we both laugh) It wasn't
really that helpful (continues to laugh), but as far as shot selection and stuff like that, I pretty much just picked that
up on my own. Just seeing where they are if they are back in the court, or coming up to the net, or what side they're on,
or when to spin the ball, or when to cut it.... I learned all that on my own.

RGVT: Good. Very good! Ok, that's about it for us. Is there anything you would like to say to everyone who will be
reading your interview?
RM: Just that if they don't have a program like the way that we don't to still try to do it, and get good at it yourself and
try to find other resources like yours, like the Harlingen Tennis Center and pursue it and you'll end up getting good.
And, oh yeah, Go Bulldogs!

Epilogue:
I turned the tape recorder off and asked Rudy if he would like to hit the ball a little and maybe play a couple of games
so that my wife could take some pictures of him (the ones you see on this page). The first thing I notice is that he hits
a heavy ball off of his forehand. Before long, we weren't just hitting but trying to burn each other, such is his competitive
nature. We decide to play two out of three games so that we can get some pictures of his serve. His first serve came
at me like a missile and I was barely able to get my racquet on it. He wins the first game, I wind the second and he wins
the third and final game with an ace up the "T" with heavy slice. I took a swing at the ball and it slid away from me, making
me miss it totally. We put up our gear and I talk to him and his mom about their frustrations and how they wish they
had known about the Harlingen Tennis Center and how affordable it really is. I invite them to come and hit with us, take
group lessons or just come and hang out whenever they would like. Rudy is not your typical young man. Not too many
people could do what he did. After all, he made history. I wonder how many students do not play tennis because they
don't have a viable program or facilities. I wonder how good Rudy would have been if we would have had him come out
since his Freshman year. It is our wish to see him succeed in life as he has on the battlefield of the tennis court where he
had no coaching or time outs. Rudy has the support of his family and now the suport of RGVTENNIS.COM. More than
our support and admiration, he has earned our respect.

Contact Information:
Harlingen Tennis Center: (956) 428 - 2092
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