Today's sectional boys tennis meet in Eau Claire provides the Superior High School boys tennis team with an opportunity that has not come around for a number of years.
Rodrigo Jara will be playing for the right to go to the WIAA state tournament. If successful, Jara will be the first Spartan since 1993 to do so.
Jara, a native of Paraguay, is a foreign-exchange student who has been playing tennis for only three years.
"I picked it up from my friends," Jara said. "I normally played soccer, but one day my friends asked me if I wanted to play tennis with them. After they saw me hit the ball they said, 'You are good.'"
Jara, 19, arrived in Superior in January with the hopes of playing tennis. With the boys soccer season taking place in the fall, playing tennis is the spring made sense to Jara, who's only other visit to the United States included a family trip to Disney World when he was younger.
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"I like the American life," Jara said. "I like living here."
The Spartans' ace shook off what he called a "slow start" and has gone 31-9 in his matches this season. SHS as a team was eliminated from playoff competition in the regional tournament earlier in the week, so Jara will be flying solo today to represent the Spartans.
Last week Jara was left off the list of Lake Superior Conference All-Conference selections despite his outstanding record as the team's No. 1 singles player.
It makes no difference to Jara whether or not his name is on the all-conference team. He just wants to be able to represent the Spartans at the state tournament and he doesn't care who he has to play to get there.
"It's pretty neat," Jara said about the thought of making it to state. "I need to win no matter who I play."
The adjustment to American life has been an easy one for Jara, who has been living with host brother and teammate Eric Brew.
"I feel a lot of friendship around me," Jara said. "The guys on the team are very cool."
"He's awesome, he's my brother," Brew said. "It's been really great practicing with him, we've grown really close."
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Brew and teammates have been happy to see Jara as a member of the tennis team this season.
"His serve is really good and it has tons of spin on it, so it's hard to return," Brew said "He gets a fair amount of aces, but not against me."
The way things stack up, Jara will face the tournament's No. 2 seed.
"It's going to be a pretty close match, but I think Rod will come out and take the win," Brew said.
Jara has enjoyed himself playing tennis this year, win or lose, but hopes for the opportunity to play in the state tournament for the Spartans.
"I just need to focus and concentrate throughout the match," Jara said.
Jara has struggled with cramps in some longer matches this season, but feels those problems are behind him.
"It has only happened twice and one time was on a day when I played three matches," Jara said.
