The Art of Winning: Flagler Men’s Tennis Team

By Axel Dabe

While most students were home enjoying summer last May, the men’s Flagler tennis team secured their first ever national title.

“It was hard to believe. Honestly, we felt like we weren’t the best team coming into Nationals,” Oliver Hradilek said.

The Slovakian believes the team really came together during the week before nationals.

“When we got there, I think we played our best tennis of the whole year,” he said.

For Coach Jonas Piibor, lifting the trophy as national champions was deeply satisfying, especially after their narrow loss in the 2024 final against Valdosta State.

“It means a lot because we know the work we put in,” he said.

The Swede knows what it takes, and asks a lot from his players who delivered when it mattered.

“They put the pieces together, came strong in the end, and we managed to win it,” he said, dedicating the win to everyone involved in the process. “Professors and administration staff, donors and everybody else. It was unbelievable.”

The team faces perhaps their biggest challenge yet, with Piibor entering his sixth season at Flagler.

“We have a lot of work in front of us. Last year is last year, and now everybody is 0-0,” Piibor said.

Hradilek believes there is now a target on the team’s back.

“Every team we play is going to want to beat us, and it will be a big game for them. But we’re excited for the challenge,” he said.

In Coach Piibor’s office one will find a cabinet filled with trophies, surrounding the book “The Art of Winning” by Bill Belichick. 

Piibor’s philosophy goes hand in hand with the book itself – focusing on mastering the process, not the outcome, and determine success in form progress, not trophies.

“I talk to the guys a lot about not thinking too far ahead or too far back,” Piibor said. “Whether you’re doing homework or practicing, stay in the moment, have quality in what you’re doing, and give 100%.”

“Coach always talks about how we need to train like we play a match,” Hradilek said. “Even in practice, every shot should be something we would do in a match. We shouldn’t try anything fancy; we should stay simple.”

“Are you helping the team?” said Piibor, who demands that his athletes frequently raise questions on how to optimize performance and raise the standard. “You decide your attitude when you wake up. We focus on how good you can be on making the team better on days when you’re not feeling well.”

Proof of this mentality came last February when Hradilek broke his elbow – making him miss out on the whole regular season.

“It was really tough at the start. I thought my whole season was over,” he said.

During this difficult time, he received a lot of support from the guys and the coach. After practice, Coach Piibor would stay an extra hour to play with him.

“I wasn’t fit enough to train fully with the team, and it wouldn’t have been good for me to be in their way or disrupt them,” Hradilek said.

This was crucial for his recovery, helping him return to his best when it mattered – at nationals.

“I appreciated that a lot. It motivated me to come back, knowing that I had so much support from him,” he said.

“A good quality is making the people around you better,” said Piibor, who thinks it’s not just about hitting tennis balls. “It’s about how you approach things and teammates – especially when they may be acting in a way they shouldn’t. How do you support them? What is your reaction, and how do you proceed?”

Coming from a team with good team dynamic, junior Artiom Dorofeev appreciates still playing in a group where people get along and support each other.

“A good team dynamic is really important to me,” he said.

For the Frenchman, it’s especially important in college tennis.

“Even though tennis is an individual sport, you spend a lot of time with teammates and always pushing each other, trying to make the team better,” Dorofeev said.

Hradilek believes staying united as a team and have a professional attitude means everything to achieve success.

“Of course, not everyone is best friends, but we need to put our differences aside when we’re on the court. We all have the same goal: win,” said.

And to win, one needs resilient guys, Piibor said. He emphasizes in a strong leadership among the players.

“They need to be able to hold themselves accountable. You need consistency in training, a good mindset, and an understanding of how hard it is, and the quality needed in training.”

The team has now grown on the achievements from last season – like winning and overcoming obstacles as a team.

“We have a lot of experience,” Hradilek said. “A lot of people have already been in this position and know what it takes to win. I think that’s our best quality.”

Piibor believes the whole team is equally important, including himself.

“If any of us, including me, are slipping or not giving 100 percent, we won’t reach our goal,” he said.

Dorofeev thrives under this mindset, chasing a good attitude and effort rather than just performance.

“The practices are definitely intense,” he said.

Piibor doesn’t expect his athletes to play their best every single day.

“Even if you’re having a bad day or not playing well, he just wants you to give 100% and compete no matter what,” Dorofeev said.

He believes this mindset motivates the team to show up at practice.

“Attitude and effort are always something you can control, even when your tennis isn’t at its best,” he said.

Piibor acknowledges that they can’t control the results, but if they do things right, they’ll have a greater chance to get good results.

“I focus on the basics, build the foundation, add on, and then we play matches and compete hard,” he said.

He firmly believes one will win matches during training and in how one prepares.

“If you do it in training over time, it will happen in matches too.”

That is what helped them on the way to Nationals.

“We had really good training leading up to Nationals, and they were excited to be there and compete,” he said. “There were no nerves. They were just excited to go out there and get it done.”

Which they did, beating undefeated Barry 4-3 in a clash that lasted over four hours.

He believes success like this comes down to common respect and doing the right thing.

“If we stay focused on our goals and remember that we’re here together, have a common denominator in tennis and academics, we’ll have more success and fun,” he said.

However, coaching college students doesn’t come without certain obstacles.

“We’re dealing with 18- to 23-year-olds. They have their own lives, social lives, academics and we see each other all the time,” he said. “I don’t think those are necessarily big challenges, but whenever you’re in a dynamic around people, it’s important to address things straightforwardly, as early as possible in a good and honest way.”

If there one thing Coach Piibor is known for, it is addressing things straightforwardly to his athletes. He also coaches with an encouraging style, emphasizing that time is a crucial matter when at practice.

“We train hard here, and we want to be strong in long matches,” he said. “We’re not giving anything away for free. That’s our philosophy: We are resilient warriors out there.”

Like many other students at Flagler, the tennis players spend a lot of time outside in the Florida sun. But instead of lying by the pool sipping on a D-Hall smoothie, they spend that time training in the heat, using it to build an advantage over their competition.

“We did a lot of conditioning because we knew it was going to be really hot in Arizona,” said Hradilek, who believes the preparation helped make the team fitter than its opponents. “We won a lot of the long matches, and I think that played a big part in the win.”

Piibor often brings this up during training to remind the team of the work they’ve put in and lift their spirits. For him, an advantage comes from knowing the team is willing to suffer now so its opponents have to suffer later during the matches.

“We’re out there in the morning sweating like crazy while other teams might be relaxing. When you’re going through that, it gives you something extra,” he said.

When asked about if we’ve seen the best of the Flagler men’s tennis team yet, Piibor takes a second to reflect and answers calmly.

“I’ll give you a boring answer: I don’t really think like that. Results aren’t necessarily what drive me. It’s more about the process and doing it the right way.”

“I get excited when we have a great practice. The other day, both groups had a really good practice, and that got me really pumped. I like seeing them learn, understand things, and not repeat mistakes they made before,” he said.

The program’s future looks bright, with two new prospects arriving and facing the challenge of filling the shoes of those who came before them.

“It’s early. They’re still learning the ropes at Flagler and how we train and do things, but so far, so good. I’m excited about them,” Piibor said.

Dorofeev is enthusiastic about his first season as a Flagler athlete, wanting to improve and help the team as much as possible, while performing consistently at a high level.

“One of my main goals is to make a good run at the fall nationals in both singles and doubles,” he said.

With the new season coming up, the team encourages fans to come and support.

Piibor encourages everyone to come out and enjoy watching the team compete hard and do it the right way.

“Students, community members, new fans, and longtime fans. You create a great environment at Flagler tennis matches, and you really make a difference,” he said.

“We have a group of fans who come to every match, and that’s always important,” Hradilek said.

He wants a home atmosphere that makes them tougher to play against.

He has also noticed the support given by his fellow students on campus, creating a championship winning atmosphere.

“It means a lot to know we’re doing a good job and being recognized by the school,” he said.

See the tennis team in action at home in the spring, when they kick off their outdoor season on the January 24, where according to Dorofeev, the team will start competing for the biggest titles and continue the success that the program has had.

“We know the expectations are high, but everyone is excited about it and ready to work for it,” he said.