Dave Fish ’72 has seen it all in his 37 years as the head coach of the Harvard men’s tennis team, and with such a wealth of experience comes great wisdom. This season, Fish’s insight and inspiring words proved to be crucial in binding his team together to win a second consecutive Ivy League crown.

Despite having only one senior, captain Andy Nguyen, and losing its No. 1 singles and doubles players from the previous season, the Crimson went 6-1 in Ancient Eight play and advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament. Fish led his young team to as high as No. 16 in the national rankings en route to wrapping up his 21st Ivy League title as Harvard’s coach.

“Coach Fish has so much experience,” sophomore Shaun Chaudhuri said. “He’s not only concerned with making us better tennis players, but he also wants to make sure that we are better people.”

Fish believes that the most important part of his job is to inspire his players to be the best that they can be.

“There are three systems of rewards,” Fish said. “I can coerce you or incentivize you, but neither of those change people inside. But if you inspire them, they have to change inside. If we teach someone to be their best, to put their heart and soul into it, then watch out.”

Fish’s focus on teaching his players dedication has paid dividends by building a team of players that could count on each other.

“From the coaches’ point of view, this year was great,” Fish said. “Not only did they know how to win, but they were remarkably good with each other. If someone else didn’t have it that day, someone else would click.”

The team continually picked itself up, especially in doubles, where it won 19 doubles points in 25 matches, including a midseason stretch of 12 straight matches.

Fish credits his players and assistant coaches Andrew Rueb and Eric Butorac with creating an atmosphere for the success the team has had this season.

“As coaches, we don’t teach them much,” Fish said. “Our job is to create the climate where you can pull the rods on the nuclear reactor until you have the power to light up a city. I’m very grateful to have Reub and Butorac. It’s not Dave Fish doing the work. We have a whole group pulling a boat in the same direction.”

Together, the tennis coaching staff has led the team to Ivy titles and success on a national stage.

“The coaches play a huge role,” Nguyen said. “Dave and Rueb are unbelievable. Rueb is so passionate, and Dave is very wise and insightful. The guys don’t realize how lucky they are to play for them. They’re two of the best coaches in the nation.”

—Staff writer Justin C. Wong can be reached at justinwong@college.harvard.edu.