If you watch Kyle Pock play basketball, it’s easy to see why Missouri State has extended him an offer.
The Bolivar sophomore led the Liberators to a state runner-up finish in March.
“I just think it’s incredible that he has the skills to do that,” said Bolivar junior Lathan Martin.
It turns out, those skills have translated well from one court to another.
“It’s just kind of a fun sport,” Kyle said. “It’s a stress reliever to go out and play and then on the weekends, I [still] get to play basketball and everything so it’s a lot of fun.”
The spring is an important season for elite level basketball players like Kyle, but he’s showing his time on the tennis court is also a time for success.
“We put him and Lathan together, and they just kind of had this instant connection and they haven’t lost yet,” said Bolivar Tennis Head Coach Nathan Rothdiener.
The duo won their first 12 matches together.
They did finally lose, but it remains their only loss as they went on to win the Class 1, District 12 doubles title.
It’s proof that Lathan has turned out to be a perfect doubles partner with Kyle.
“He helps me with all the rules and stuff,” Kyle said of Lathan. “I’m still learning everything so he tells me what to do and I just kind of follow along.”
“I’ve just realized how much of a weapon he is at 6’7” and if I’ve seen things like ‘okay, they’re hitting shots high on one side, let’s switch and you go hit that ball hard’,” Lathan added.
Because of that 6’7” height, hitting the ball hard might be Kyle’s biggest advantage.
His coach says his serves are at least 100 miles per hour.
“There’s no doubt it’s in the triple digits, it’s just a matter of how much over it is,” Rothdiener.
It’s an added confidence boost for Kyle and Lathan, even if neither is sure where Kyle’s serves will land.
“A lot of times I feel like he doesn’t really aim,” Lathan said with a smile. “He just sort of hits the ball.”
So far, that strategy has worked, thanks in part to the confidence and carefree attitude these two play with every time they hit the court.
“Just focusing on being confident and that it doesn’t really matter, if the worst thing that happens is you lose a tennis match, that’s a pretty good day,” Lathan said.
Until then, the pairing will just keep having fun and piling up the wins.
