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Spotlight
on Retiring Tennis Coach Stan Dlugosz
6/07
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Stan Dlugosz
announced his retirement at the conclusion of the men's tennis season
after a 35-year career as head coach. He has been a fixture in Mercer
sports since he joined the college's engineering faculty in 1962.
In addition to establishing the tennis program, he established the
famed MCCC men's soccer program, and assisted with baseball and
basketball.
Starting the
MCCC soccer program came naturally to Dlugosz. He arrived at Mercer
an accomplished and experienced player. "I began playing soccer
in fifth grade and by the age of 16, I was named the top player
in Philadelphia," he said. He continued playing soccer as an
undergrad at Drexel University, where he earned a degree in Civil
Engineering, and then earned a spot on the Philadelphia Ukrainians
professional team, which won the national championship three times
and took him to Europe to play in international competitions.
Continuing his education in the graduate engineering program at
Lehigh University, he began to assist as a soccer coach. When the
time came to apply for a job, Lehigh insisted that he make a choice
between teaching and coaching. At Mercer, he could do both. "It
was lucky for me that I found Trenton Junior College," he said.
(Trenton Junior College merged into Mercer County Community College
in 1966.)
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Photo
by Mike Dill
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Stan
Dlugosz announced his
retirement after 35 years
as men's tennis coach.
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In
his late 20s, Dlugosz discovered tennis, taking to it as naturally - and
with as much passion - as he had soccer. When the college moved to its
West Windsor campus in 1972, he couldn't wait to get out on the brand
new tennis courts and start a college-level program. "At that time,
they were the first real courts in the area," Dlugosz recalled. (The
tennis center at Mercer County Park came eight years later.) He made good
use of the courts, running local tournaments in the summer in addition
to coaching Mercer students.
Dlugosz'
teams have enjoyed great success, traveling to the nationals approximately
25 times. They've also learned some important life lessons. "Keeping
a cool head is a useful skill on the tennis court, but also in life,"
he notes. He has made a point of getting to know his players, helping
to shape them as young men in addition to improving their game. "I
remember each and every team," he said. In recognition of his outstanding
contributions to NJCAA tennis, Dlugosz received the NJCAA Hershel Stephens
Award in 2005.
While
he will no longer be at the helm, Dlugosz looks forward to assisting with
future Mercer teams.
Directions
to MCCC
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