Some teams rest their hat on defense, others on an up-tempo style of play. This year’s City College tennis team draws strength from its diversity.

What might be seen as a challenge to team unity has become the foundation for team chemistry.

“I think one of [our] best strengths is the communication between the guys,” freshman Luiz Melges said. “We have a wonderful connection between us, because we have guys from six places in the world. We have Brazil, Morocco, Sweden, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belgium. We learn with each other.”

As a relatively young team, the City College will need to grow quickly in order to match the success of last season. The 2010 season concluded with the men’s tennis squad falling just short of capturing the league title. They lost to eventual state-champions Ventura College.

The few returning players remember that feeling and are using it as motivation to outperform their opponents in league play.

“Last semester [there] were only two internationals, and all the others were American,” sophomore and team-standout Regis Fastrez said. “This year we’re all like a big family.”

Fastrez, whose doubles partner Nikolay Ivanov earned all-league honors for his play last season, hopes to surpass last season’s record.

“I want to go to State Championships,” Fastrez said. “Go as far as we can.”

The team sees a balanced roster playing a huge role in the upcoming season in addition to their strong chemistry.

“Everyone has different strengths, I have a good serve and a good forehand,” Fastrez said. “Everyone brings something to the team. The number one is really good, and the bottom lines are good too.”

Part of the team’s success will depend on how well the players respond to the new coaching system. The Vaqueros have already set themselves apart from their competition through their practice style playing their first full season under Head Coach Ryan Heinberg.

“Overall I think that the system that we are trying to bring with the head coach is better, I think that we practice differently than the other colleges,” first year Assistant Coach Petr Krakora said. “Instead of just giving them balls, there’s really some kind of system of drills and each progress is week-by-week. It’s going to make them better in the long-term.”

The system implemented by the coaching staff is much more regimented than year’s past. Practice is given serious thought, each activity run with a specific skill improvement in mind.

“We have a specific design every week,” Krakora said. “There’s individual attention on top of these cooperative drills like you see here. We are working on details, instead of just ‘Okay guys, play.'”

One aspect of the squad’s dynamic that the coaching staff hopes to see soon is the development of team leadership.

“The leaders should be the better players, because they assume the leading role when the match gets tied,” Krakora said. “I’m waiting for the better players to secure the top spot and then the others jump on the bandwagon.”

The Vaqueros (0-1) will play their first home game of the season at home next Tuesday against the Eagles of Mt. San Jacinto College at 2 p.m.