Get to Know John Harvey

Q&A with Our Director, John Harvey

Head Boys Tennis Coach at Fairfield Warde High School
Former Teaching Pro at the Country Club of Fairfield

Do you have any nicknames?

Harvey

Do you have any unusual talents or absurd things that you love?

Talents: I can make you a better tennis player without even stepping on a court
Love: Working outside coaching or in the yard

If you can eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

12oz Ribeye, 1 box of mac and cheese and anything green.

What is the latest show, series, podcast or book that you binged on?

Formula 1 Drive to Survive, Joe Rogan podcast

What is the one or more things that you take with you or do every day before you greet the team at practice? This can be something tangible or non-tangible.

I write down my goals and objectives and leave them on a piece of paper in my pocket.

What purchase of $100 or less has positively influenced your life in the past 6 months or recent memory?

Donated $100 to medical aid for Covid-19

Do you have a quote, phrase or motto that you use on a daily basis or during tough times? or maybe something you think of often or live your life by.

“Win the next point”

What advice would you give a smart, driven 14 year old athlete about to enter high school and what advice should they ignore on the other hand?

“You are going to lack experience, so learn from every experience”
“Ignore anyone or anything that is not going to make you better person”
” Be someone people want to follow, and follow people you believe in”

In the last 5 years, do you have a specific season, match, or tournament that changed your life? What advice or realizations, do you have for people in the coaching field who are trying to achieve their team’s potential?

2016 LL State Open Doubles Final. We lost, but we had a match point, we saved 5 match points, but we still lost. This was a major learning experience for me as a coach because of what it lead to. My doubles team was made up of twin brothers who went on to have very successful college careers.

There was doubt the whole tournament about the brothers playing together, but they kept winning. It was the most intense coaching I have ever done up until that point in time. I had my guys listening to my every word on the court. I realized here that I have the ability to be on the court with my player, when they buy into my system.

I make sure my players understand that, “Tennis is fun and if you’re not having fun, why are your out there?” A player needs to be intrinsically motivated in order to achieve greatness. As a coach my job is to help find that motivation.

Is there a moment from your youth that set you up for career in coaching?

My first summer working when I was 16, I coached the Junior team team at my Pool and Tennis club to an undefeated summer season.

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