Within the Southern California tennis community, there are standout individuals whose dedication and passion enrich the sport for everyone. A prime example of someone who exemplifies these characteristics is Torrance’s Maurice Kogon. A pillar throughout multiple USTA sections, Kogon’s journey as both a player and a league captain embodies the spirit of perseverance, camaraderie, and leadership. USTA SoCal proudly celebrates Kogon, who has been awarded Adult League Captain of the Month honors.

Born and raised in Maryland, Maurice Kogon first discovered tennis over 80 years ago. “I vaguely remember holding a tennis racquet on a public court in Greenbelt, MD,” Kogon shared. “I dabbled in social tennis from my teens, using a wooden Jack Kramer racquet that eventually warped.”

Maurice’s journey with tennis was a slow burn, gradually igniting into a lifelong passion. A fan of baseball and football growing up, he initially did not follow the sport. As he grew older, Kogon developed a love for softball and played competitively for many years. It wasn’t until his 40s, after years on the diamond, that Maurice fully embraced organized tennis within USTA leagues.

Still residing in Maryland at the time, Kogon joined his first league in the Mid-Atlantic section. Beginning play, he developed a newfound love for the sport, which has evolved into an activity for him and his wife to share together.

“I never took any lessons, just a clinic on some basics,” Kogon mentioned. “My strength is just getting the ball back, slice and lob – no real offense. When I won local tournaments in singles and doubles with my wife, opponents could not believe they lost to us and said they were ‘Kogonized.’”

With a few years of league play under his belt, Maurice decided to take on the challenge of captaining his own team. While not the most experienced player on the court, he understood the necessity for captains in the area, and more specifically, the need for true leadership.

“As a captain, I have taken on many teams – even drafted teams on two occasions where I did not know any of the players,” Kogon stated. “I understood that without captains, teams cannot form, and many players have nowhere to go. So, I have looked at captaining as somewhat of a responsibility, not just as a leader of a team with winning as the overriding goal.”

Having resided in Maryland for the majority of his life, Kogon decided it was time for a change of scenery and headed west to California. Moving to Torrance in 2001, Maurice engulfed himself in the Southern California tennis scene right away. Initially starting to play socially on weekends, Maurice worked his way up to join a 3.5 Men’s team in 2003. As he began playing in leagues again, he also resumed his role as captain just a year later. For the last 20 years, Maurice has played and captained in USTA SoCal leagues and has not stopped even at the age of 86.

In his duties as captain, Maurice is selective in how he shapes his teams. While striving to win, he has created an emphasis on finding players displaying the utmost character. As a leader, Kogon forms personal relationships with his players to understand their play styles but also to better know them as everyday people.

“I strive foremost for teams of high character and that can get us at least to Sectionals. I keep the roster size to whatever will assure at least two matches for each player to qualify,” Kogon added. “I have especially enjoyed learning that each player has a non-tennis life of often extraordinary accomplishment. As examples, one player has a PhD in nuclear physics while another helped design the heat-withstanding materials in the Webb Space Telescope. Others are doctors, dentists, professors, and people who are doing very interesting things. Team tennis is a great leveler.”

Strong captaining is not easy to come by, which Maurice has experienced firsthand. In advising future captains, Maurice urges those who are interested to become involved but also to be diligent in their efforts. Captaining requires patience, effective communication, organization, and leadership among many other traits.

“We badly need more captains, but ‘good’ captaining is not just making lineups and reporting scores,” said Kogon. “It also requires organizational skills to assure all players get reasonably fair match time, get to their matches before the last minute, have compatible partners in doubles, and are kept in the loop about results of each match if not there themselves. Defaults must especially be avoided. The best players are invariably on multiple teams and need advance notice to coordinate with other captains. I have also learned that a good captain must also be somewhat of a psychiatrist. Not least, I have learned to not make self-serving requests of league coordinators. As a former league coordinator myself in Maryland, I understand that a ‘no’ is not rigidity as a personality trait, but a necessity to avoid exceptions that lead down a slippery slope to chaos.”

Kogon has shown how tennis is a sport for everyone, no matter their age, skills, or abilities. “At nearly 87 years old, with 2 hip replacements and 3 unsuccessful back surgeries, tennis is not the first thing that comes to mind as a likely enjoyable activity,” he discussed. “But, amazingly, I still play social round robins twice a week and even occasionally put myself in USTA team matches to avoid a default or if we’ve clinched. As captain, I have the luxury of picking a strong partner willing to put up with me and have even won a USTA match or two.”

What sets Maurice apart is not just his prowess as a player, but his unwavering devotion to the role of captaincy and efforts to grow the sport. In his nearly four decades of commitment, Maurice has donned the captain’s hat, steering teams with wisdom, integrity, and professionalism. Whether leading seasoned veterans or nurturing new talents, Maurice approaches his role as a noble responsibility, ensuring that every player feels valued and supported.