Coach Profile: Mario Rincon
by Chantal Lue, Miami communications student
It’s 11 a.m. on a Monday morning and the University of Miami men’s tennis team is on the courts of the Neil Schiff Tennis Center preparing for Saturday’s match against Pepperdine University.
On the first court, freshman Christian Langmo is practicing his serve at high speeds. Senior Wilfredo Gonzalez and Henrique Tsukamoto are on the second court taking part in a friendly singles competition. But on the third court, there is something out of the ordinary going on.
Freshman Nile Clark is practicing against no, not a teammate, but instead, his head coach, Mario Rincon. And the freshman looks like he’s at home as he hits the tennis ball Rincon serves to him.
“I love to play with them,” Rincon said. “It’s an amazing experience for me to be able to play against them at this level, at my age.”
Rincon has been the head coach for UM’s men’s tennis team for 11 seasons, receiving numerous accolades throughout his journey.
But it’s not about the wins and achievements for him.
“I truly care about them,” Rincon said. “That’s something I can say about myself and the way [that] I coach them.”
Rincon first became involved with tennis while growing up in his hometown Duitama, a small city just outside of Colombia’s capital.
As a young boy, Rincon was like any other child who grew up in South America – he wanted to pursue a career in soccer. But his father saw the potential in his tennis abilities and thought it would be a better fit when it came to having a future.
So at the age of 14, Rincon began travelling throughout South America to participate in tournaments. Upon graduating high school, he was offered a tennis scholarship to North Greenville College, a junior college in Greenville, South Carolina.
He spent two years in South Carolina until he was recruited to attend the University of Kentucky, where he would later graduate from, earning a bachelor of science in agricultural communications.
“It was a great opportunity,” Rincon said. “You’re able to continue improving your game [while] your expenses are paid for, and at the same time you’re advancing on getting your degree. This is something that is nonexistent in South America.”
After graduating Kentucky in 1988, Rincon went on to become a professional tennis player. He spent nine years with the Association of Tennis Professionals and five more on the Japanese pro tour, where at one point he was ranked No. 2 in singles.
During his career, Rincon made appearances at each of the four Grand Slam venues: the U.S. Open, French Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open.
“The bigger the stage the more rewarding it is. I got to play the biggest tournaments in the world and I really enjoyed them,” he said.
After dropping in the rankings, Rincon decided it was time to retire as a professional athlete and would make his debut as a head coach at the University of Miami in October of 2004, following a three-year assistant coach position at the University of Alabama.
Upon stepping foot on UM grounds, Rincon made it his mission to get to know the players on an individual basis, developing a positive relationship that would be carried out throughout the entire team.
“He gets to know all of the players,” assistant coach Mark Dickson. “He really understands each one of them. He finds out what makes them tick and what motivates them.”
One way Rincon communicates with his players is by actually getting onto the tennis court and playing them one-on-one.
“It’s easier for me to figure things out about their games when I’m on the court with them,” he said. “I get to play against their patterns and I get to read their tendencies.”
And the players don’t seem to mind at all. They all share a great relationship with the head coach and have grown accustom to his coaching style.
Freshman Piotr Lomacki even regards Rincon as one of the best people he has ever met.
“When it comes to choosing your coach it’s very important because they will be with you for four years and Coach Rincon is great,” Lomacki said.
This season, Rincon had to coach a very young team, including seven freshmen who brought a different atmosphere to the team.
“They’re really loud. Much louder than any team I’ve ever coached,” Rincon said. “But they’re a great group of guys to work with. I definitely enjoy seeing them improve on a daily basis.”
Although Rincon enjoys spending time with the team, there’s nothing more he enjoys than spending quality time with his family.
Rincon met his wife, Laura, on a blind date back when he was in Colombia that his cousin set up. The two got married two years after dating and have been married for the last 16 years. They have three daughters together.
His oldest daughter, Laura Sophia, has taken up the sport of tennis like her father and is currently playing at Killian High School. His middle child, Daniella, remains active as well, as she is involved in soccer and volleyball. And the youngest, Gabriela, is too busy being occupied with their new dog, Leo.
“That’s the toughest decision I’ve made all week. Whether to let my wife bring the dog home or not,” Rincon said.
Rincon’s nurturing spirit follows him both on and off of the courts. His love for the game is evident in his coaching ability and reflects the caring person that he is.
“I have a great team to coach here; I have a great family at home. I love my job, I love coming here. I love going home too. I’m really enjoying this part of my life.”
