By Soven Bery ’15, Staff Writer

Editor’s Note: This article was written before we heard the news of Arky’s injury. We wish him the best and hope he has a speedy recovery. 

Everyone at Newark Academy knows about the men’s and women’s tennis teams. Their wins are about as inevitable as advisor group meetings on Wednesdays. Yet not much is known about the mysterious figure behind their success, Mr. William “Arky” Crook, esteemed math teacher and legendary coach.

Arky Crook is fundamental for the Tennis program both on and off the court. He shapes raw talent into refined tennis players and shapes teenage boys and girls into mature men and women. “Arky is a fantastic coach for about a thousand reasons.  He has unlimited knowledge of and passion for the game.  More importantly, he cares about all of the players as both athletes and people,” says Mr. Lou Scerra, a close friend and Crook’s co-coach.

It is that palpable care and support that has proven so integral for the community of the teams.  While tennis is very much an individual sport, a considerable amount of the program’s success over the years can be attributed to Crook’s efforts in creating a tight-knit collective of players. “Arky’s coaching philosophy is that once we become part of the tennis team we are part of the family. We fight to win for ourselves but more importantly we fight for each other and for the school. Every year at preseason Arky gives the orphan speech, stating that every player on this team is now an orphan (in the sense that we do everything for ourselves without the help of our parents) and that if we need help we lean on our teammates and our coaches,” explains women’s captain Isabelle Van de Walle ’13. Men’s captain Dan Eatroff ’13 adds, “He helps students transition from tennis as an individual sport to the team environment that is necessary in high school.”

Coach Crook knows how to get the best out of his players. He has a personal connection with each athlete and is able to motivate each one in unique ways. “What I specifically like about him is that he pushes me to be better. Arky doesn’t just sit back and watch. He tells me upfront when I’m doing something wrong,” says Van de Walle. His hands-on approach has led to an incredible amount of success, including this fall.

The women’s team finished their first ten games at 8-2. Their only losses have been to Milburn and Livingston, two of the best teams in the state. Throughout this season, Crook has kept the girls focused on the ultimate goal of winning states. The squad will battle honorably and work diligently in order to achieve that goal and qualify for the Tournament of Champions. They will do so under the impressive, albeit unconventional, tutelage of their mentor.

“Arky is a coach I’m proud to have played for. I’d say if he were to have a mantra it would be less is more. He likes to believe his primary role is as the van driver but he is the key to the team’s success over the past thirty years,” continues Eatroff. It is not everyday that the van driver doubles as The Star-Ledger Coach of the Decade for the 1990s. But that’s the way Arky likes it. For him, it’s all about the players. Crook teaches independence and the ability to think for oneself on and off the court. He tells his athletes their mistakes directly, aiming for each player to correct him or herself and move forward with the game. He likes his players to visualize how they will get past these speed bumps. One way he achieves this is through a process known as ball bonding. The team sits in a circle on the court with a tennis ball in front of each member. The all look at the ball while concentrating on the upcoming match for one minute. After that minute passes, Arky collects the balls and rounds up momentum, giving out important advice and firing up the team. He works to make the team constantly strive for improvement, and the team responds.

Eatroff sums up his coach perfectly by saying, “With important tips on the court, hilarious stories off the court, and the belief that you should never change a winning strategy, Arky Crook is a living legend.”

Always modest, Arky Crook refused to be interviewed for this article.