What is a Hell Hen?
The Hell Hen is a close relative of the Greater Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), which was first described for science by Lewis and Clark during their 1804 expedition. It is an inhabitant of the open sagebrush plains. It is a large, ground-dwelling, chicken-like bird, up to 30 inches in length and two feet tall, weighing from two to seven pounds. It has a long, pointed tail with legs feathered to the base of the toes. Their mottled brown, black and white coloring serves as a camouflage from predators. The Hell Hen is separated by the Greater Sage Grouse, or Sagehen, in that it is larger and more colorful than its relatives. The Hell Hen is found from sea level to over 9,000 feet in elevation. It is an omnivore, feeding primarily on competition and weaker-willed opponents. One of the most interesting aspects about the Hell Hen is its adaptability and ability to prosper under any circumstance. Throughout much of the fall and winter, Hell Hens rely on each other to provide vital training, competition, and camaraderie. In the spring, the Hell Hen’s thrives as it senses subtle climate changes, signaling the beginning of the competitive season. The Hell Hen population, while small and exclusive, exhibits strong fidelity towards its home, and its family.

How did the Hell Hen Come to Exist?
The Hell Hen was the creation of a group of student-athletes wishing to create a symbol representative of their on-court attitude, thus Hell Hen Tennis was born.

What Has the Hell Hen Accomplished?
During the Hell Hen years of 1989-1995, the Hell Hens went a combined 111-49, 59-12 in SCIAC. They finished no lower than 2nd place in conference and won the 1989 SCIAC title, capping a 12-0 conference record, and going 23-4 overall. They finished no lower than 12th in the nation, including in 1992, when they finished ranked number 4 in the country. During this period of time, they succeeded despite 4 different head coaches. The success of the period from 1989-1995 has never been duplicated in the 107 year history of Pomona and Pitzer athletics.

What Happened to the Hell Hen?
A lack of understanding was responsible for the decline in Hell Hen numbers in the 1990’s. Word of the success of the Hell Hen population spread quickly, and Pomona College alumni became aware of the sub-species. Many of these alumni were enraged at what they felt was the desecration of their beloved and harmless bird. A commission was created to investigate the matter and render a decision regarding the use of any name other than Sage Hen. It was decided that the only acceptable names to be officially used by Pomona-Pitzer Athletic teams are Sagehen, or Sagegrouse. This was thought to have effectively killed off the Hell Hen.

During the Ryan Witt era, an attempt to revive the sub-species was undertaken, not understanding that the Hell Hen had continued to exist, albeit in small numbers and underground. As mentioned, the Hell Hen is extremely adaptive and sensitive to changes in its surroundings. As a testament to the strength of this breed, recent Hell Hens have in fact been identified, and while not referred to as such, have continued to pass on these dominant traits. 2003 Pomona College graduate Samir Vora, and 2004 Pomona graduate JR Hall are examples of Hell Hens in Sage Hen disguise. The 2005 spring season saw a major change in the tennis climate, and it seems as though the time has come to return this noble and competitive creature to its rightful place in the food chain; to give the proper name to those bird-like animals that roam the tennis courts on the Pomona College campus. While they vary in color and shape, and while they were raised in different locations throughout the globe, they share the unifying characteristics of the Hell Hen: Physical, Mental, and Emotional Strength.

The less resistance you create the more efficient and effective your action. Tension and stress are rigid and hard; they are obstacles to achievement.

The Foundation
The focus is to lay a foundation that will enable us to challenge for a National Championship. Our foundation MUST be built upon trust (player/coach, coach/player, player/player), commitment (and an understanding of what that means), and a deep bond forged through shared experiences, goals, and struggles. Our goals this season have little to do with winning matches; they never will. Winning matches is the result of the aforementioned foundation, competitiveness, and luck. Our goals are:
1) To lay this foundation
2) Learn to enjoy the integrity of the struggle
3) To understand what we are doing within and beyond its context.

Take your task seriously, not yourself

Accountability
Central to this foundation is accountability. The individual is ultimately responsible for performance and outcomes. It is in the individual’s best interest to understand their goals (short term and long term) and progress with them in mind. Excuses must not be tolerated or accepted from within. The individual must hold themselves to the highest standard. The ability to first look within has its roots in all facets of the foundation, and takes time, focus, and patience. This is at all times a learning experience for everyone associated.

If a player is looking for an excuse, they are easy to find: school, equipment, teammates, coach, etc. To turn a potential excuse into a weapon is the challenge and the goal. In match situations, a player will often face the decision to fight or give in, and not accepting excuses is practice for match toughness. Everything is competitive, and everything is an opportunity to improve. The brain must be treated like a muscle and exercised and used efficiently and effectively. Excuses allow the brain to “check out,” and serve as justification for failure. Failure should not be reasoned as something beyond our control and thus unworthy from which to learn. Failure is something to embrace and understand. Failures on the tennis court are correctable and carry few consequences; they are the practice ground for real life.

See the ball, hit the ball

Trust
Trust is the cornerstone of a healthy foundation. Tennis is an individual sport within a team setting, and many high school coaches are ill-qualified to understand that relationship and/or the sport. The student-athlete enters this situation not fully understanding how an individual sport effectively functions within a team environment, and as a result may have difficulty understanding their role, and the commitment required for success. To be accepted at such academically rigorous and prestigious institutions as Pomona and Pitzer take focus, goal-setting, organization, competitiveness, and intelligence; those same tools are required for success on the tennis court. The student-athlete may have these essential qualities upon arrival, but is not necessarily prepared to use them in an athletic environment. The student-athlete must learn to trust others. It takes a leap of faith to trust, but the lessons of the leap are more valuable than is the pain from the fall. We seek to create an environment that embraces those that embrace the team; an environment that allows those to become their best without fear of failure, as failure is an essential part of development. It is through this that true growth is possible.

Knowledge creates understanding and understanding breeds patience. Through struggle and adversity, bonds are created. Through shared experience, bonds are created. These are the goals of team.

Commitment
There are many different kinds of commitment; commitment to team, to teammates, to self. There are many different levels of commitment; minute by minute (focus), practice/ match (including preparation and mental engagement), weekly, seasonal, and career.

“Program” is the term used to define the team, encompassing its history, image, and foundation. Commitment to that means understanding what it is to be a part of the larger picture. Knowledge of the past, present and sense of the future with regards to the Whole are encompassed by this theme.

To commit to teammates is to share in the goal and the struggle, side by side; to lift up and to allow to be lifted; being critical and being able to take criticism; leading by example.

In order to understand what it means to commit to ones-self, one must first understand or become open to the idea that to be a part of the Team, benefits the self in ways immeasurable. To achieve true commitment to self within the framework of the Team is to give ones-self over to the benefits of the Team, and to understand that those benefits while sometimes indirect are more valuable than those attained individually.

When it is asked that a player commit to the above, the time commitment must also be understood. In a broad sense, players must understand that they are committing to four years of the Program as well as understanding their legacy within the Program. Within that time, it is understood that players will have doubts, questions, and concerns. Players will inevitably question their commitment; that is healthy. Because of the large expectation built into this commitment, time off is encouraged and incorporated into the program. Athletics are but a small part of the college (and in a larger sense, life) experience. Student-athletes are not expected to eat, sleep, and breathe tennis. They are however expected to be prepared to live up to their commitment 100% of the time. To understand this, they must know how to budget their time effectively.

They are expected to do what it takes to prepare mind and body to be 100% prepared for match or practice. This includes but is not limited to sleeping, eating, and preventing injury. They are expected to be at practice everyday, and when there, be completely engaged for the allotted time period. They are expected to be prepared for matches, and to schedule around practice and matches whenever possible. They are expected to share in the goals of the team, and maintain individual goals within the framework of the team.

Strong like water. Liquid movement creates strength, the ability to adapt to situations, overcome obstacles, and achieve goals.

Progress
Progress can be deceptive, as it can sometimes be overshadowed by regress. Be prepared for, “one step forward, two steps back,” or “two steps forward, one step back.” Success and failure are never far from each other and both yield opportunities for growth. Take a critical eye at progress, and use it as motivation. Failure is never difficult to find, but it should not be overlooked. Learn what you can from failure, and at the same time keep your eye out for success.

Synopsis
In summation, the purpose for The Foundation is to instill a sense of purpose, trust, and commitment that will serve for future success. There will be bumps along the way, but they are obstacles that serve a greater goal. As players, expect fluctuations in commitment, focus, and stroke proficiency. This can be balanced and complemented by the safe environment that the team offers.

Why is Culture Important to the Program?
From the outside, it would appear that collegiate tennis, like professional and recreational tennis, is a sport for individuals, where success and failure rest solely on the player on court. This could not be further from the truth. The success of a collegiate tennis team, and more specifically, a division III team, depends upon a successful team dynamic. It is true that the player still must play, and the better the player, the better the chances for success. But outside variables must not be overlooked, and at the division III level, there are a variety of variables that can positively and negatively affect the outcome of a match, season or career.

Variables:
1) Physical Skill: The skill of players at this level varies drastically, and can be enhanced or reduced by the following variables.
2) Mental Strength: Some players just seem to know how to win, and others never seem to figure it out. This is often what makes a successful DIII player.
3) Experience: Some players enter collegiate tennis with a wealth of junior tournament experience, and others merely high school tennis. From the nationally ranked to the multi-sport athlete, division III accommodates these players out of philosophy and necessity.
4) Conditioning: The great equalizer. For some conditioning is a strength and asset, for others a weakness. For all, the better the condition, the more one can focus on playing.
5) Academics: A reality at this level is that these are STUDENT-athletes, and their primary responsibility is in the classroom. This is more of a priority for some than for others.
These variables are at play within a team and from program to program, and affect the outcome of matches more than technique, ball striking ability, and strategy combined. The ability to neutralize and take advantage of these variables and more is the primary function of a successful team culture.

What is Culture?
In order to create a culture, it is crucial to understand what the definition of the word means, and how it will be applicable to our program.
Definition: cul•ture (k l ch r) n.
1.
a. The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.
b. These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population: Edwardian culture; Japanese culture; the culture of poverty.
c. These patterns, traits, and products considered with respect to a particular category, such as a field, subject, or mode of expression: religious culture in the Middle Ages; musical culture; oral culture.
d. The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.
2. Intellectual and artistic activity and the works produced by it.
3.
a. Development of the intellect through training or education.
b. Enlightenment resulting from such training or education.
4. A high degree of taste and refinement formed by aesthetic and intellectual training.

Now that we have a working definition of the term, we can begin to understand how it works within a tennis program.

The goals of The Culture are to account for the aforementioned variables and create an atmosphere and environment that is welcoming and nurturing (encompasses the unique qualities of the student-athlete, coach, and institution). It is the responsibility of the coach to allow players to recognize the importance and value of a successful team culture, and to assist in its creation. It is the responsibility and role of the players to enhance, foster, embrace, and carry on this culture as the cornerstone of a successful program.

Pomona-Pitzer Culture
1) The Foundation (outlined in chapter 1): This includes knowledge of team history, trust, commitment, accountability, and an understanding of what those mean and how they are applicable.

2) Language: How you interpret information is a key element of The Culture. We are at all times striving to improve how we communicate, but we must also strive to improve how we listen. We have a tendency to hear what we want to hear, and if we are trying to prove something, we will find it. As part of our culture, we want to prove each other right. In order to want this, we must know each other.

3) Bond: Knowledge of those around you; the better that you know your teammates, the closer the bond that you have with them. It is not essential to be “best friends” with your teammates, but it is crucial to understand them, know their history, interests, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses, and to let them know you. We all fall into the pattern of making judgments based on our own experiences (seeing the world through our own lense), and thus acting harshly when those around us fail in our eyes. It is the duty of all in the program to create an atmosphere of empathy and understanding. When one player looks across the court to his teammate, he is motivated by eyes that truly understand his situation, and can motivate him in a language that they both share.

4) Shared Experience: You will spend more time with your teammates than any other individuals, more even than your family. Every shared experience has the potential to create a bond and bring you closer. The potential is also there to cause separation. It is your responsibility to turn an experience into a bonding experience.

5) Leadership: The cornerstone to a successful culture is leadership. Everyone must lead in a way that they are capable. The best leaders are those that reflect the culture that they are attempting to create and develop.

6) Ritual: How we behave as a team in all manners regarding the team. This constitutes pre and post game meals, warm-up routines, practices. From the music that we play, to the clothing that we wear, we represent Hell Hen culture. These rituals are a product of necessity and choice, and should aid the team in gaining an advantage whenever possible.

Your journey towards a National Championship begins on your first day at Pomona-Pitzer and is a part of your legacy as a human being. If you feel unprepared for such a lofty life enhancing experience; good, you should. If you feel prepared, you are fooling yourself and have much to learn.

A National Championship is a culmination of hard work, dedication, commitment, trust, development, talent, failure, and success. Just as a trophy is a symbol and not a goal, so is a championship. Every year over three hundred tennis programs begin with an opportunity to achieve National Championship status, and through the course of a short season, that number dwindles rapidly. Eventually, eight teams gather to compete for the ultimate reward. Each of those eight deserve to win, yet only one can win. Our goal is to become one of the eight. There is no timetable to this goal, as there can never be a timetable. Creating such a restriction creates pressure and tension that directly opposes the goal. We can only control that which is ours to control and time is not one of those things. That being said, here are the characteristics of the team for which you are a member:

Straight Talk:
This is a basic operating principle and part of your commitment to this team and program. Say what is true to you. Call people out on their behavior, positive and negative. Inherent to this is holding yourself accountable in order for your word to hold meaning. This, like every one of these characteristics is a constant challenge. Things can often seem petty and insignificant, but if left ignored, these petty issues can create problems.

Commitment Driven:
We are committed to being a National Championship Team, and that is a part of everything that we do, from the tiniest insignificant detail to the largest aspect. It manifests in the way that you handle every aspect of your life.

Leadership:
Anyone can lead, and everyone is expected to lead. We all will work to make this an exceptional environment in which everyone feels comfortable and can become their best. Everyone must feel free to lead and contribute. Leadership takes many forms, and is a major part of one’s development.

Communication:
You are fully engaged at all times. Understand the perspective of the speaker, and learn to interpret positives instead of negatives. Your job is to prove the communicator right.

Support:
You will not fail because you are my teammate. I will not let you fail because I am your teammate and I am in this with you. I will call you on your shortcomings, praise your on your successes, and stand with you. You will do the same.

Honesty:
Tell the truth to the best of your ability, no withholding.

Speedy Resolution to Complaints:
This keeps us in our relationships. When something is “off,” deal with it directly.

Coaching:
Coaching comes in all directions, and it is based on the abovementioned characteristics.

Integrity:
Honor your word. Actions are governed by what you say. If you say it, do it. Make your word your bond, and make your actions mirror your word.

There are three distinct centers that we will focus on developing in every practice situation. The three centers are: physical, mental, and emotional. Concentration on one center without regards to the others can lead to imbalance and injury. This will be the focal point of our training.

Physical:
We strive to train the body to perform the physical tasks required from our sport. We train our muscles to be in condition so as to give us confidence in its abilities (conditioning/ weight training). We train our muscles to do repetitive tasks in order for us to have faith in their abilities (practice). We train our muscles to be efficient so as to allow us to relax (injury prevention). This center is developed through conditioning, weight training, drilling, match play, etc.

Mental:
We strive to clear our minds during competition and allow our bodies to perform their tasks. We train our minds to focus on simple tasks (seeing the ball) so as to release our body to muscle memory. We train our minds on and off the court; in the classroom and in matches; in meditation and during drills. This center is developed through physical training, visualization, meditation, and a general awareness as to additional opportunities throughout the day.

Emotional:
We strive to manage and accept our emotions and not to be ruled by them. When we are frustrated, we admit our frustration, accept it, and release it. We do the same with fear, exhilaration, sorrow, and anger. We practice this on and off the court; in our jobs, our social lives (relationships), and beyond. This center, like the Mental center can be developed during physical training and also throughout the day.

By emphasizing balance, and strengthening all three centers, we become aware of existing imbalances, and can efficiently improve and develop.