By Jeff Appelblatt
Daniel Mortensen, once a student-athlete at Woodbridge High School, is taking all the chances he can to coach the current student-athletes at Woodbridge.
As spring sports approach, Mortensen is getting used to coaching the boys tennis team.
“It was just an opportunity that was at the school,” he said. “I thought it would be great.”
The girls varsity soccer team was his first shot to lead a team from the sidelines at Woodbridge. Even though the team made an early exit from both the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) and NJSIAA playoffs, it was a rather successful first year for Mortensen and the team.
Numbers alone, the Barrons (15-6) collected three more wins than they compiled in 2014 — the year before Mortensen became their coach. They also finished with one win more than the Barrons had in both the 2007 and 2009 seasons — two of Woodbridge’s best years between the goal lines.
When it comes to tennnis, Mortensen believes there’s less pressure on him this time around. He’s almost as new to the sport as the average high school student, whereas soccer was the main sport he played in his life and is a more common sport for children to play early in their lives.
“My biggest experience in tennis was [with] my buddies,” Mortensen said. “We were only ever playing for fun. I never played competitively.”
Nevertheless, the 2007 Woodbridge graduate has the mindset of a coach, even if tennis isn’t a sport he’s too familiar with.
“I always want the [kids] to stay aggressive [and] to keep focused,” said Mortensen, a business education teacher at Woodbridge.
Mortensen’s first step as coach has been getting familiar with the tennis team. Mortensen is still learning, but he has a pair of players he thinks he will expect the most from.
“McWilliam [Mantu] was a doubles player last year. I think he’s developed enough to be a singles player this year as a senior,” the coach said. “And we got a player from Woodbridge Academy that will probably compete for first singles.”
Mortensen is unsure about the rest of the team, but he is eager for the team’s first match of the season against local rival, Colonia High School.
“April 1, we play Colonia. Last year, our first match of the season was vs. Colonia, and we split [competitions] with them.” Woodbridge’s coach said. “We’re in the same boat as them. We’re not expected to compete. It’s good to play them first again.”
Boys volleyball and golf have new coaches, too. Neither coach is as new as Mortensen, though.
The volleyball team’s coach is Jayson Calhoun. Calhoun was named the White Division Coach of the Year after he led the girls team at Woodbridge to 22 victories. For more than seven years now, that team has flourished under him.
The golf team’s new coach is Matt Gigliello, who was recently on the sidelines for the boys basketball team at Woodbridge. His fourth year as basketball coach was his best. The team put up 20 victories for the first time, and he made it back-to-back years as the White Division Coach of the Year. Gigliello coached the boys volleyball team last year, but he quickly passed on the position to his colleague who is more familiar with coaching volleyball.
