Filling the shoes of a 24-year coaching veteran with 370 career victories can't be easy.
But looking at Doug Eng, you'd never know it.
Eng replaced Jim Watson as head coach of the men's tennis team this year. Watson began his career at Tufts in 1981 and spent time at the helm of both the men's and women's teams. He was a two-time NESCAC Coach of the Year and earned six berths to the NCAA Tournament.
Eng has been part of the Tufts community for well over a decade, starting as Watson's assistant coach in 1995 and coaching both the men's and women's squash teams. Eng has a history with Tufts, holding three degrees from the University (a BS in chemical engineering in 1984, a MS in 1987 and a PhD in 1990), in addition to a Masters in Education in sport pedagogy/psychology from Boston University.
Eng started out the season in a difficult position as he struggled to find a player to fill the No. 1 singles slot. With the graduation of Rifat Perahya last spring, Eng knew that the all-important top singles position would be a recurring obstacle that had no apparent solution.
But Eng made a decisive decision, devising an effective ladder to name one player to the top of the roster. For most of the season, senior tri-captain Paul Roberts filled this position, occasionally switching off with sophomore Will Fleder. Although the Jumbos struggled at No. 1 for most of the season, the team never once complained with Eng's decision.
"Doug was great this year," senior tri-captain Jon Rubenstien said. "He's like the Phil Jackson of Div. III tennis with his Zen-master approach."
The Jumbos amassed a 6-9 record this year, but feel that the outcome of the season does not reflect their triumphs. The team defeated long-time rival MIT and dominated Bowdoin, a feat it had accomplished only once in the past six years. The Jumbos also defeated four of the top-25 teams in the nation and at one point held a top-20 national ranking.
"Doug was great as a leader and as an instructor," Fleder said. "He was a big factor in the success we had this year."
Eng also placed a high premium on conditioning, encouraging the Jumbos not only to be better tennis players, but better athletes. In practice, Eng tailored drills and sprints to each player and infused a confidence among the team that this extra effort would pay off later in the season.
"We were tougher, we believe[d] in ourselves, and we were fitter," Eng said. "We needed to play better doubles, maybe get a bit fitter. It's a fight to finish the season on your feet, as it can be very tough."
Eng also emphasized the mental aspect of the game. He was always willing to sit down with a player after a loss to discuss the match, and he encouraged the Jumbos' mental game throughout the season.
"We worked very hard this year on our conditioning, but more than that, Doug taught us to be mentally tougher," Rubenstein said.
Bringing a new coaching style to Voute Courts, Eng carried the same important leadership qualities that he so quietly demonstrated as an assistant. Although the Jumbos did not have a winning record, Eng continues to recruit talented players in an effort to vault the Tufts program into a nationally contending position.
"Doug is the best coach," Roberts said. "He has so much energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge. If it was only based on his efforts, we would be national champions."
