This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

Dom McLuskey is back in the island for a break after having won the USA Junior College rookie-of-the-year award. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0582034)

DOM McLUSKEY has been named the USA Junior College rookie of the year. The 18-year-old Guernsey star led Tyler Junior College in his first season.

He finished the year ranked third nationally in singles and number two in doubles. But the icing on the cake came when he was crowned the rookie of the year at the recent Intercollegiate Tennis Associ-ation presentation banquet in Dallas.

‘It was a bit of a shock,’ said McLuskey. ‘I was wondering why I had to go as my coach didn’t tell me why. I didn’t realise I was going to win.’

The ITA has more than 250 junior colleges and one player was put forward for the accolade from each of the north, south, east and west sections. McLuskey, based in Texas, was the south’s choice. Playing number one for his team, the Sarnian finished the season with a record of 17 wins and three defeats.

Two of those losses came against the number-one seed, Moacir Santos.

The Brazilian is ranked in the top 700 in the world.

With his doubles partner, Roman Petrunin, of Russia, McLuskey also had a great season.

‘He’s a good player,’ said McLuskey.

‘Hopefully I’ll be playing with him next year and hopefully we’ll be number one in the nation.’

Unfortunately for McLuskey and the rest of the Tyler team, they were not quite the best in the States this season.

In the final of the NJCAA Men’s Tennis Championship, the Apaches lost to the top seeds, Laredo.

McLuskey is itching for revenge next year, which will be his last at Tyler.

‘I’ve got one more chance to try and win it,’ he said.

After next year, McLuskey is hoping to be picked up by a senior college and play Division One tennis.

‘I’ve spoken to some colleges and I went to California to visit one,’ he said.

‘California is amazing. I want to go there or to Florida.’

Before going to the States, the island’s number one spent a couple of years at the ISP Tennis Academy in Nice.

Along with McLuskey there are currently two other Sarnian tennis players stateside, with under-16 British champion Heather Watson at the Nick Bollettieri Academy in Florida while Rob West is a tennis scholar at Cleveland State University.

McLuskey says the move has helped him immensely, especially in the mental approach to the game.

Once considered a bit of a hot-head on the court, he believes he has now calmed down.

‘I once was going a bit crazy in a match at the start of the season but the coach went mad on me and I’m a lot more controlled now,’ he said.

‘It’s much more intense [in the US]. In Europe it’s kind of turn up and play, but over there there’s a lot of mental and physical preparation.

‘My preparation before matches and my mental approach are a lot stronger.’

While back in the island, McLuskey is going to turn out for Guernsey in a couple of National Club League Southern First Division fixtures before heading to France to play for a club in Toulouse.

He plans to take part in a number of tournaments.

McLuskey also confirmed that he is keen to go to Aland next year for the Island Games.

At the summer’s Games in Rhodes, he, West, Pat Ogier and Chris Hickling made up the Guernsey side that won the team event.

McLuskey is eyeing more gold next year.

‘I’m definitely doing Aland. I’m looking forward to it,’ he said.

‘We’ll be better. We managed to win it last year, but hopefully we can do well in the individual events as well. Hopefully we can sweep them.’

Article posted on 22nd May, 2008 - 2.30pm