S.W.E.A.T.
Congratulations to John Rohrkaste, who’s headed to Florida State University, Class of 2029, to study Finance and play Club Tennis.
STRENGTH
Playing every point as hard as he can, John’s physicality is riveting. He’s quick, strong, and strategic, but thinking that perfection meant being hard on yourself, John had to learn that tennis—life—is not a game of perfection. John has learned to “Let it go… move on…not get too high, not get too low,” yielding mental strength that’s on par with his physical strength—the aim of every great athlete.
WANT
John loves to compete. He wants to put into play all the lessons, the tournaments, the wins, the losses—the culmination of every tennis moment—into THAT moment of competition.
Montour Tennis Coach Eric D’Antonio and teammates refer to those Zen-like moments when nothing escapes him as “Johnny Fist Bump.” He pumps his fist in the air when he’s deep in the zone, and it’s thrilling to witness.
ENDURANCE
“John’s a beast on the court—he’s a grinder… John never tires—and he never quits.” You hear this from everybody at USCTDP! Everybody wants to hit with John because he pushes himself—and that pushes them.
John reports his physical conditioning is unique to tennis: “I could run sprints forever but would not do as well as a long-distance runner.” John’s tennis training — paired with mental toughness, fuel his intensity, focus, and staying power.
ATTITUDE
People look forward to watching John practice and play because there’s joy seeing him on the court—and John’s the same when nobody’s looking; he’s not pretending — ever!
Montour Tennis Coach Eric D’Antonio observes that his teammates can’t do what John does skill-wise, but they do follow his lead when he accepts a tough call and congratulates the other player. They do follow his lead when, after a match, John thanks his parents and grandfather first, demonstrating up close and personal: You take care of the people who take care of you.
TENACITY
John was in the 6th grade when he started taking lessons at USCTDP. In clinics, he knew immediately that he “wanted to go to the top court.” John’s intrinsic motivation is anchored in knowing “All you can control is yourself, so focus on the good!” At Montour High School, John never put anything above his team, and his tennis team is “on the map” as a result. John’s perseverance, grit, and willingness to “stay the course” opened the doors for future players to compete at a higher level.