By
David Stevenson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Sage leads with on and off court attitude
Senior leadership is hard to come by - especially in college tennis - but Jari Niskala makes it look easy. In his four seasons on Arizona's men's tennis team, the senior has become a team favorite for his attitude and love of the game.
"He's a good role model since he's in good shape," sophomore Brian Jackson said. "He's fun to talk to, fun to be around. He's a great friend of mine."
According to his teammates, the senior's weightlifting has helped him to become a stronger player on the court and an even stronger person off of it.
For Niskala, keeping in shape is as much about self-confidence as it is about staying in shape.
"I really like weightlifting because it's always intense and it makes me feel good about myself," he said.
For Niskala, though, some of his toughest endurance tests have come off of the court.
When Niskala was 8 years old and living with his parents in Helsinki, Finland, his dad introduced him to the game of tennis. A quick study, Niskala picked up the game quickly and played in private clubs until he was 15, when his parents informed him that they were moving to San Diego to avoid the long Finnish winters.
Once in the United States, Niskala's burgeoning tennis career hit a rough spot. He made the Rancho Bernardo High School varsity team as a freshman only to find that the team's practices were relaxed compared to his intensive training overseas.
After two seasons and a falling out with the head coach, Niskala quit the team to focus on his own skill.
"He conducted weak practices that weren't beneficial towards my game," Niskala said.
He practiced on his own and continued to play through private clubs. His hard-working attitude impressed UA head coach Bill Wright and made him a team favorite throughout his college career.
"His perseverance and stick-to-it attitude make him one of the hardest-working guys I've ever had," Wright said.
Niskala did not make the singles lineup in his first two years on the team.
Entering his last summer, the senior said he trained even harder to gain eligibility.
"Over the summer I knew this was my last chance (to be a starter)," he said. "I decided to continue training and not let the situation get me nervous or uptight."
The new program and continuous hard work landed him the team's No. 5 singles player spot.
"He's a real important part of the team and played right into the permanent lineup," freshman Carl Hagman said.
His perseverance seems to have rubbed off on the other players. UA has been ranked all season and is in a position to make the NCAA Regional playoffs for the first time in five years.
"It felt incredible when Wright told me I made it," Niskala said. "I always believed I could do it."
Wright said the team's improvement was due in part to the senior's work ethic both on and off of the court. When he isn't working out, Niskala helps in the planning of pre-match team dinners and group movie nights.
"We're really a close group of guys with close friendships that will last forever," Niskala said. "Once you're part of this team, you will always be one."
While some of his teammates might be planning a career in tennis after college, Niskala has other aspirations. Currently, the science major has lined up a job with Nokia after his spring graduation.
"I need physical challenges," he said. "I like tennis and intellectual challenges, like my job."
