Tennis' Fisicaro is 'heart and soul'

Marc Fisicaro softens the college adjustment for his young Penn tennis teammates. Growing up in the small town of Blackwood, N.J., Marc Fisicaro always "wanted to be a part of something." His curiosity and love of being around other people brought him to the game of tennis. He recalls how, at age 6, he used to tag along with his dad, uncle and older brother when they played tennis. His interest was sparked by these trips and the rest was history. Fifteen years later, that 6-year-old boy stands as the senior captain and heart and soul of the Penn men's tennis team. Coming out of high school, Fisicaro was recruited by top-flight schools all over the country, including Cornell, Columbia, Kansas and Rice. For Fisicaro, though, the decision to attend Penn was easy. "I wanted to come to a school that had academics and tennis," Fisicaro said. "Being born in Philadelphia and living 20 minutes away, Penn was the perfect fit for me." At first, Fisicaro wasn't necessarily the perfect fit for Penn. Off the court, he admits to being overwhelmed by playing a sport while juggling a huge academic workload. On the court, he reflects and realizes that he was a one-dimensional player, opting to grind out matches with a power game from the baseline. Following his freshman year, an evolution took place in Fisicaro's personality and subsequently his play. He developed a serve-and-volley game and made himself into one of the better doubles players on the team. "I learned to handle both tennis and academics and keep everything under control," Fisicaro said. "My game went to the next level. It all came together and I developed a level of consistency that I did not have before." "Marc has matured physically, athletically and mentally," Penn coach Gene Miller said. "He has become more patient and is a silent leader by just the way he competes on the court." Fisicaro attributes his evolution to, again, being a part of something, in this case a team. He acknowledged the importance of always having someone there to help. As the lone senior on this year's team, Fisicaro sees his role as being more than an important player on the court, but also guiding many of the young players through some of the same problems he encountered in the early parts of his collegiate career. While leadership is something that comes naturally to Fisicaro, he hints that it is not always easy. "Leadership definitely has to be worked on," he said. "The one thing that you have to remember is that someone is always watching and listening." The Penn freshmen appreciate having Fisicaro around. "Having Marc there makes the transition into the college ranks easier," Quakers freshman Joey Zupan said. "He is not only a leader, but a teacher and a friend." While the younger players are watching and listening to Fisicaro, he watches his teammates progress and learn. Although the fall season has been somewhat of a disappointment -- Penn has struggled in major tournaments, such as last weekend's Penn Conference Classic in which only Fisicaro advanced beyond the first round -- he recognizes the potential is there for much more. He feels that this is the closest, hardest-working team he has been a part of in his four years and points to the team's maturity, despite its youth. Like any true leader, personal goals are not first and foremost for Fisicaro. While he would like to make it to the NCAAs in the spring, he says it would be an even greater accomplishment if the team could win an Ivy League title or even make the NCAAs itself. In terms of what the future holds for Fisicaro, anything can happen. He is currently a Psychology major and plans to go to medical school. Tennis he knows will always be a part of his life, whether he enters the professional circuit or decides to coach. In everything Marc Fisicaro does on and off the court, one can see a burning passion and an honest sincerity. Whether he is schooling a freshman in practice or winning a clutch match in a key tournament, he is always willing to learn from others or stop to show others the way. "When Mark came in, he changed the entire chemistry of the team," Miller said. "The guys just love being around him." And through it all, there still remains the same young, exuberant 6-year-old who just wants to be a part of something.