A throwback to early 1980s Hamilton Tennis
By: Kai Nyhof
“The guy everyone wanted to beat.” Wade Tanis was one of Hamilton Community School’s best tennis players from the 1980-1983 seasons. When asked who he thought was the best on the team, substitute teacher and former Hamilton tennis player Blaine Lugten didn’t hesitate to say Wade Tanis. Lugten referred to Tanis as “The guy everyone wanted to beat.” He said Tanis was essentially untouchable and never overlooked.
Tanis didn’t necessarily have any special move or serve that made him an exceptional player; he was simply good at getting the ball back. Tanis could cover the court and return the ball better than most opponents, and this gave him the upper hand.
Tanis’s personality did not fluctuate on and off the court. Tanis is described as down-to-earth. He is said to have a great sense of humor, but is a generally quiet guy. He tends to keep to himself, but he didn’t hesitate to cheer on his team. He was a supportive teammate and an overall great guy. With his father being the coach, Tanis was always a helpful guy that his teammates could come to for advice.
The Hamilton tennis team in the 1980-1984 seasons had a fantastic team atmosphere. They played as well as they did because of the chemistry the team had. They were described as having close bonds with each other that made them such a great team.
Wade Tanis was virtually an unbeatable tennis player due not only to natural ability, but also to his attitude and character. Tanis helped lift up his teammates and add to the overall team environment, and that is truly what separates the good athletes from the great in the world of sports.