Breedlove’s outstanding career sends him to Belhaven University

Published 11:32 am Wednesday, March 8, 2023

MOULTRIE, Ga. — This season is senior Mark Breedlove’s last as the No. 1 singles player for the Colquitt County varsity tennis team before he heads off to Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss., on scholarship.

Breedlove has had a sensational career as a Packer, winning Region Player of the Year the past two seasons.

He has also been undefeated in region games during his four-year career with the Packers, and has sat at No. 1 singles three years running after playing his freshman year at No. 3 singles.

“He has set the bar pretty far up there for those that will be coming through the program after him,” said varsity head coach Mell Wier. “This is his fourth year in the high school program. I got to watch him in middle school, and then got to start coaching him starting ninth grade.”

Breedlove’s tennis career began long before middle school however.

“My dad started me off at 3 years old and I was hooked,” said Breedlove. “We went to the court one day and played around. He asked if I like it and I told him I did. It just went from there. It was around age 14 or 15 when I really decided this was my sport and I wanted to play for a college.”

Breedlove enjoys winning just like everybody else, but that isn’t his primary motivation for playing tennis.

“I enjoy the solitude of it,” said Breedlove. “I play doubles sometimes, but I mainly play singles. I like it because there is no one else to rely on except yourself. Everything that goes right or wrong on the court is because of something that you did and there is no one interfering with it except the player on the other side of the net.”

Wier reflected on the last four years coaching Breedlove.

“The skill has always been there,” said Wier. “It’s more the mental aspect of the game and knowing when to use certain skills and having maturity on the court is what I’ve helped with.”

Though he has played his entire life, Breedlove hasn’t lost any love for tennis.

“I’m definitely playing all through college,” said Breedlove. “I still haven’t 100% decided about going pro, but it’s a possibility.”

Breedlove will bleed red and gold as he begins the next step in his career as a Belhaven Blazer this coming 2023 academic year.

Belhaven University is a Division III school, and this year’s tennis team currently stands 1-2, still toward the start of their season.

While competing at the collegiate level, Breedlove will also be working toward a degree in mechanical engineering.

“I just like seeing how things work,” said Breedlove when asked why he picked mechanical engineering as his educational focus. “Getting into the nitty and gritty of whatever it is.”

He also didn’t deny being the kid who took small electronics, like a toaster, apart and put it back together again purely to see how they went together.

Just as mechanical engineers must meticulously examine all components, Breedlove understands there is more than one aspect to tennis.

“He runs cross-country in the fall to get in shape for this,” said Wier. “He is an extremely hard worker, and he outworks everybody because he will work until he gets it right.”

Breedlove’s fastest 5K — which is 3.1 miles and the distance in cross country meets — was 17 minutes and 23 seconds.

“Tennis is a stamina sport,” said Breedlove. “You can have as much skill as you want, but you have to be able to get to the ball, hit it back over the court, and make it land in bounds. If you can consistently do that, then you will win.”

Running to stay prepared for tennis is something that Breedlove is very accustomed to.

“Coach pushes us harder than most other team’s coaches do,” said Breedlove. “It’s funny because I’ll hear him talking with other coaches and they will tell him if they made their kids run that much they would quit the team. But, he keeps us conditioned, which is one of the most important aspects of this sport.”

Though Breedlove doesn’t plan on competing in cross county at college, he does plan to continue running.

“It really keeps me in shape for tennis,” said Breedlove. “And it helps me learn how to push through any mental fatigue hitting me.”

Breedlove will be one of two seniors leaving the tennis team this year. The other tennis senior, Shiv Patel, has only been playing for two years.

“There is definitely an element of seniority when I play,” said Breedlove. “I always make sure I am playing well so they can see what I’m doing and can emulate that when they are playing themselves.”

Breedlove’s leadership hasn’t gone unseen.

“I’ve noticed he’s taken to working with the younger kids,” said Wier. “I see him talking to them about their strokes and stuff.”

Breedlove’s success in tennis can be attributed to the mindset he has going into matches.

“Whenever I’m playing I make sure to stay focused on only my game and nothing else,” said Breedlove. “Then, when I’m done, I will sit behind the bench and just be there with my teammates and generate that aura of positivity and hopefully be a motivator.”

The last men’s NAIA singles champion for Belhaven University was Keith Evans in 1988. Maybe in Breedlove’s career as a Blazer we will see Evans be usurped?