Jason Krueger- SPF Tennis Preview 2004

New Scotch Plains Fanwood High School tennis coach Mark Cunnington will have
his hands full trying to learn the names and playing strengths of his team. But
Cunnington,once a nationally ranked junior player, will have much fewer
equipment problems than other tennis coaches thanks to the resourcefulness of
his top player junior Jason Krueger. Not only will Krueger play first singles
for the Raiders but he will fix the broken racquet strings of his teammates.

Broken racquet strings are a way of life for top tennis players but instead of
living with the frustration of not having the racquet for a week while it was
sent out Krueger decided to learn how to restring racquets himself.

“As a competitive tennis player, I break my tennis racquet strings often. It is
quite costly to get racquets restrung, about 25 dollars each at a tennis shop.
One problem, however, is it takes about a week (sometimes more) to get the
racquet back, and as a tennis player, I need my racquets back the next day,”
said Krueger.

In an effort to reduce the cost of restringing, Krueger’s father purchased a
stringing machine. It took Krueger a few weeks to get the hang of stringing a
racquet, but eventually he figured out how to string his racquets quickly and
efficiently. Krueger decided that it would be a good idea to start a small
business stringing racquets for friends and for the tennis team. Krueger
discounts his rate for tennis team members and gives them
the luxury of having the racquets back the next day. Krueger made business
cards and handed them out to local tennis players resulting in a steady
business of a few racquets a week during the spring and summer. The cost of a
racquet varies on the type of string used.

Cunnington was quick to benefit from his star player’s off court skill.
Krueger restrung one of Cunnington’s broken racquets. and had it back the next
day. Krueger and his teammates should benefit from Cunnington’s playing and
teaching skills. Cunnington established numerous school records while playing
collegiate tennis at tiny Millikin University in Illinois. He began playing as
a high school junior in Michigan and quickly ascended to national
tournaments and has been coaching for six years first as a club pro in Hinsdale
Illinios
and then in Michigan where he mentored some very high level national players
of both sexes.

Krueger started playing tennis much earlier than his coach, beginning at the
age of 8 but didn't really begin taking it seriously until 7th grade, when he
started taking lessons at the Westfield indoor tennis center. Since then, he
has participated in 3 other clinics and has 2 instructors. Currently, he
participates in a clinic at West Orange Tennis Center and receives private
lessons with a coach. As a freshman, he started at first doubles, teaming with
Adam Corbin, to reach the round of 16 at the State Tournament. Last year he
played first singles. He also played in United States
Tennis Association(USTA) tournaments around New Jersey, winning two titles and
making the finals in another. Krueger takes tennis lessons with his younger
brother Ryan, a talented eighth grader at Terrill Middle School. “He will be on
the high school tennis team next year and will help make the team stronger, “
said Jason Krueger

With 30 players trying out for the team and only a week into practice,
Cunnington is still trying to sort out his top players. Besides Krueger,
Cunnington expects senior co-captains Corbin and Mike Thompson to play major
roles but the rest of the lineup is wide open and will be decided by challenge
matches. From there it is a scramble with 5-7 players having a chance to grab
one of the top seven spots.

“ I am very excited and want the season to start. I myself have some high
expectations and hopefully we can reach all our desired goals.,” said
Cunnington.

“It is a great asset to the team to have someone that can string racquets
because during the course of the year will everyone will break string ,” said
Cunnington,

” I do not plan on making a living from stringing, “ said Krueger. “ I plan to
continue stringing as long as I play tennis, for my own racquets. But I am
unsure if I will continue it as a business after high school,” said Krueger.
Now if he could only cure tennis elbow as easily.