When Snohomish tennis coach Dick Jansen talks with with one of his players in between sets, he’ll usually speak first to dictate the flow of the conversation. He doesn’t do that when Kincaid Norris is playing, though.
“I want him to talk to me before I talk to him,” Jansen said. “I always seek Kincaid’s opinion on how the match is going before I say anything to him. Then I temper what I say to fit what he’s thinking. He’s the only kid I’ve ever done that with. He’s played at a higher level for so long, and he thinks his way through things. I trust him and his evaluation of the way things are going.
“To tell the truth, I’ve learned more from Kincaid than he has learned from me.”
Norris will conclude his decorated prep career this weekend at the 3A state tournament in Kennewick.
After taking seventh place in the singles bracket at the 4A state tournament last year, Norris has his sights set on a top-four finish this time around.
He’s capable of such a feat, according to Jansen.
“He’s the best player I’ve coached in 45-plus years,” Jansen said. “He has so many intangibles going for him. He’s a high-character kid, intelligent, and from a tennis perspective, he never takes a ball off. He’s tenacious; he has a dogged persistence to him. It’s unlike I’ve ever seen before.”
Norris is somewhat of a methodical player. He’s not afraid to extend rallies to wear down his opponent, but he’s comfortable when he goes on the offensive as well.
“I love to grind — basically stay on the point as long as I can and counter-punch when I get a short ball,” Norris said. “People always describe me as a counter-puncher because I like to wait for the right time to step in and make an offensive move. Using my legs is (critical) to keeping the ball deep and waiting for the right time to strike.”
“He’s a little bit of a boxer,” Jansen said. “He understands that he has to jab, jab, jab and keep balls in play. When the time comes, if he gets a short ball, he’ll come to the net and make a good approach shot. People watching him may think he’s a pusher, but he attacks, and he’s very good at it. He’s got great racket skills.”
Norris has posted a 38-0 record in regular-season and district tournament competition during the past two seasons. Weightlifting sessions have made him stronger, and his serve has greatly improved, Jansen said.
“(When I was younger) I really didn’t know how to take advantage of other people’s weaknesses,” Norris said. “My mental game, especially, has really come along the past four years. I’ve been using it to pick players apart.”
Norris is a year-round player. When he’s not with his teammates at the Snohomish High School tennis courts, he’ll tune up his game at facilities such as Mill Creek Tennis Club, Columbia Athletic Clubs (Silver Lake) and Kitsap Tennis Athletic Center. He’s also been a regular on the United States Tennis Association junior tournament circuit during the past several years.
“(Those tournaments are) helpful to test out new strategies and new strokes, to see what works and what doesn’t against really good competition,” Norris said.
Norris will continue his career at Whitworth University, and Jansen will miss him when he’s gone.
“The (Snohomish) program has been good for him, and he’s been even better for the program,” Jansen said. “He’s made everyone around him better, including his coach.”
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