For most, graduation entails the start of a new routine. After all, the word “commencement” comes from the Old French word “commencement,” meaning "beginning" or "start."
For Jason Tahir, however, this is not the case.
Although he is no longer a student-athlete, Tahir finds himself still following the same routine that he followed for four years as an undergraduate competing for the Blue Devils. Tahir’s days are occupied by classes at Duke University and tennis practice with the Duke University men’s tennis team. He is a graduate student at the Fuqua School of Business and a volunteer assistant coach for the varsity team.
Tahir has graduated to the next level both academically and athletically. The varsity-tennis-playing sociology major, who earned a Markets & Management Studies certificate, is now a varsity-tennis-coaching Masters of Management Studies candidate. The two-time team captain, though, was at first unsure if he should return to the men’s tennis team as a coach on staff.
“I knew I was going to be back [at Duke] and honestly when I finished NCAA’s I was planning on just doing a year without tennis,” Tahir said. “I was pretty burned out and I was not really too interested in helping out. I sort of just wanted to be at a distance from the sport, but over time I gained my excitement back for tennis and was willing to help out in whatever capacity the coaches wanted.”
Tahir’s change of heart was music to the ears of head coach Ramsey Smith, whose primary offseason goal other than recruiting was to find the best possible volunteer assistant coach to add to his staff.
“We interviewed a lot of people,” Smith said. “But then when [Tahir] got into the Fuqua program and with the way his schedule worked out, he was definitely the best candidate. To have someone who has been through the program, obviously knows a lot about the program and knows [assistant coach John] Stokke and I really well is great. We are absolutely thrilled and I know we could not have gotten a better person.”
Smith also described the transition from player to coach as “relatively easy” for Tahir, who will be tasked with making the transition from high schooler to Duke student-athlete similarly easy for the Blue Devils’ five freshmen this season. Adrian Chamdani, Ryan Dickerson, Jason Lapidus, Vincent Lin and Catalin Mateas will all have to balance the demands of a Division I athlete in a highly-competitive tennis conference and the rigorous course load of a student at a top-10 academic institution.
Who better to help the freshmen adjust to the student-athlete lifestyle than Tahir, who won multiple all-ACC commendations and made the ACC Academic Honor Roll in each of his four years?
“I’m learning a lot about myself and how to relate to freshmen in college who are now student-athletes in college," Tahir said. "It is something that I see as a role that is constantly changing, and [my role] will be specific for each freshman, but hopefully I can just be someone to help them become a better tennis player and a better student-athlete.”
Duke also added a sixth new player, sophomore transfer Hampton Drake, who will sit out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA and ACC transfer rules. The influx of new players made the need for a third coach especially apparent to Smith. Tahir, however, will not be limited to helping the new players acclimate, as that is just one of his responsibilities as volunteer assistant coach.
Although many volunteer assistants may be tasked with logistical work such as scheduling and paperwork, Smith said Tahir's primary and only function will be player development. Tahir's responsibilities will include on-court practices, individual training, analysis of match video, coaching singles and doubles during matches and traveling with players during tournaments. Tahir will be able to perform his duties as volunteer assistant coach at all but two of Duke's spring matches—with the lone exceptions being away matches against Tennessee and Michigan.
“Player development,” as Smith described, is not just limited to the six new Blue Devils on the team this year. Tahir will be working with all players in Duke’s 2015-16 campaign. He will assist the coaches in doubles and singles coaching since, as a player, Tahir was equally impressive in both. The Rochester, N.Y., native finished his career ranked in the top 10 in the Duke record books in ACC singles wins and ACC doubles wins. One player whom Tahir will be coaching in singles and doubles this season is senior Josh Levine, Tahir’s former roommate and doubles partner.
“From a coaching standpoint, [Tahir] throws in his two cents every time he feels that something needs to be said,” Levine said. “His input in doubles practices is definitely valued. He knows what goes on in my head during a match, he knows what I like to do on the court and how I like to compete and having him on the coaching staff is great. He definitely knows me on a personal level and in coaching, it is important for a coach to know his players.”
Tahir joins the staff in what he described as “a really unique situation,” being someone who has already played for the other two coaches on staff, Smith and Stokke. He hopes to be able to use this experience to make himself a better coach and to be able to relate to players.
Tahir will take what he has learned in his four years playing for Smith, as well as the experienced he has garnered on the court to attempt to coach the Blue Devils to their first ACC title since 2006. That is just one more way in which Tahir's routine post-graduation has failed to change: he is still doing his best to help the team.
“I have definitely experienced the gamut in terms of Duke tennis and Duke student-athlete,” Tahir said. “It is good to be back, hopefully helping out the guys and hopefully helping out the program. I am definitely excited for the season and to see how much progress we can make as a program and how much progress each individual can make.”
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Jacob Weiss is a Trinity senior. His column, "not jumping to any conclusions," runs on alternate Fridays.