Waiting to Play

Brian D. Rothschild Arizona Daily Wildcat UA junior transfer Jerome Oliveri returns a volley during a recent match. Oliveri must make a decision whether to redshirt or not by the end of the weekend. He's been sidelined most of the year with a back injury.

Oliveri - a Junior College All-American in 1995 and 1996 - suffered a herniated disk in his back in the first week of October and was not able to step onto the courts again until January.

Oliveri, who was projected to play in one of Arizona's top singles positions, may be healthy enough to be hitting tennis balls again, but he is not entirely content.

He is now forced to make the decision of whether to compete while still recovering or to redshirt the season to save a year of eligibility.

"I feel like I can't help the team as much as I could with only like a month and a half left in the season," said Oliveri, who is a native of Fort-De-France, Martinique. "It's a waste to play just over a month and waste a year of eligibility."

Oliveri, one of Arizona's top recruits, is allowed to play a total of four matches in the first half of the season under NCAA regulations without losing a season of eligibility.

However, Oliveri, who played in two matches last weekend as well as in tomorrow's match against Michigan, must make his decision by the end of the weekend.

Head coach Bill Wright said the decision ultimately rests in Oliveri's hands, although Wright and John Woolf, Oliveri's trainer, have discussed the situation.

"I want him to play now, but that may not be the right way to think," Wright said. "It's clear in my mind that it's his call. I'm not going to force anyone to play."

Woolf said Oliveri has been making progress during his rehabilitation, but he cannot predict when he will fully recover.

"After taking a period of time off, it takes a while to get back at the level of tennis he needs to be at," Woolf said. "We're just trying to get him back to playing tennis and being as good as he can be."

Another factor that Oliveri must think about is whether redshirting would be more beneficial to the team in future seasons, rather than now.

"There's no question Jerome is a very talented player and would bring a lot to this team, but with his back hurt, it's like a Porsche just sitting in the garage," Wright said. "The question is, can he get in shape in the two months left in the season to play significantly and contribute, or is it better to lick his wounds and take another year?"

Oliveri, who transferred from Tyler Junior College in Texas, where he was a part of two national championships, was predicted to make an immediate impact, especially in doubles. And as a junior college player coming in, he's an instant leader among the younger players.

"It has been just so frustrating because I felt like I was maybe going to be at the top of the team and be a leader. I was feeling really ambitious and ready to do really well," Oliveri said.

In his debut last weekend, Oliveri split his singles matches. He defeated San Jose State's Todd Dissly in three sets on Saturday, but lost to Washington's Rex Calaunan, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 on Sunday.

If it was up to his teammates to make the decision, they would like to have Oliveri back in lineup.

"It obviously raises the level of the team and adds confidence to the team," freshman Jean-Noel Lacoste said. "We know that with him we have a better chance to beat the better teams."

Lacoste, who is the Wildcats' other top recruit, is Oliveri's doubles partner.

When Oliveri was healthy, the two advanced four rounds at a national tournament in Texas during the preseason.

"He and Jean-Noel are unbelievable in doubles," Wright said. "They get along well and complement each other great."

"It's hard to measure the value of a guy who takes care of business like Jerome does," said Oliver's Tyler JC coach John Peterson. "I think Arizona was lucky to get him."

Unfortunately for Oliveri time is not his side, luckily his team is.

"It's no doubt that we'd love to have him for the whole season, but I think we have to support his decision either way because he knows what's best for him," teammate Roland Kupka said.

"They want me to come back to help, but I have to do what's best for me and the team," Oliveri said. "I don't feel that I'm helping the team that much right now, when I could just redshirt and play my last two years at my full potential."