Mark Trotta has spent the past 28 seasons focusing on everyone else's tennis game but his own, meaning, the longtime Hereford coach's own play suffered as a result.
That won't be happening anymore after the Calvert Hall grad retired from coaching following the 2011 season.
To make the departure more sweet than bitter, seniors Alex Charchalis and Lexi Chlada both captured Baltimore County No. 1 singles titles to send Trotta out on a high note.
"They had two of the best careers I have ever coached," Trotta said. "Both of them won over 60 matches, which is great for a four-year career."
That's the first time the York resident, who has played in a double clubs league and in United States Tennis Association Seniors Division matches, tutored two individual county champions in the same year.
"This year, if I hadn't already committed to my seniors, I probably could have easily said it was too much," Trotta said of his decision to continue to coach until the close of this season. "I will really miss interacting with the kids. I have been very fortunate to have great kids and good players"
Trotta compiled an impressive 246-109 record since talking over the program in 1984.
Under his leadership, his teams improved with age, winning a coveted county team championship in 2009 and finishing second among 23 schools this year.
Trotta, 63, brought consistency and stability to a program that was difficult to match.
"There are very few coaches who have been around as long as I have," said Trotta, who also coached boys varsity soccer at Hereford for 16 years. "I saw a lot come and go. You had a coach that wanted things established and done a certain way."
Charchalis said Trotta's leadership will be missed.
"Without him, we wouldn't have been as good the past few years," he said. "He holds everything together. He helps improve everybody's individual game and is a good motivator. He is someone we all looked up to."
Charchalis' success in the county tournament meant a lot to him after placing second twice and third once.
The Lafayatte University recruit's career highlight, however, was placing third in the state tournament this spring and finishing the year 22-2.
"I never thought I would place third in that tournament," Charchalis said. "No one at Hereford has ever gone that far. I put in a lot of hard work before and during the season. I think that's what helped me in all of those tough matches."
Charchalis was one of five players — the most during Trotta's career — from Hereford to qualify for the state tournament.
The mixed doubles team of Chlada and senior Mike DiMayo lost in the second round to a duo that placed second overall while the girls doubles team of freshman Anna Mowell and junior Anna Passaniti lost in the first round to the No. 1 seed.
Chlada had to be more pleased with her county championship tournament performance.
Last year, though, was a different story.
"I was glad she ended up winning counties," Trotta said of this season. "Last year, she rolled her ankle and couldn't finish the county tournament."
Other top county finishes came from No. 2 singles player DiMayo (3rd), No. 2 girls singles player Passaniti (2nd), the No. 2 girls doubles team of MacKenzie Turk and Susan Wiedel (3rd) and the No. 1 girls doubles squad of Mowell and Julie Ashwood (4th).