Small Size, Big Talent : Villa Park’s 5-7 Jason Devera Faces Another Challenge

Leo Fracalosy had always considered himself an above-average tennis player. So two years ago, when he became coach of the Villa Park High boys’ tennis team, Fracalosy figured earning his players’ respect would be easy. Simply challenge the team’s best player to a match, then beat him soundly.

So on the first day of practice, Fracalosy went after sophomore Jason Devera, about whom he had heard rave reviews.

“I said, ‘I understand we’ve got a good player on this team. Where is he?’ ” Fracalosy said. “Well, here’s this little kid in this baseball cap who steps forward. I’m thinking I’m going to earn some respect right away.

“Needless to say, Jason beat me convincingly. But he’s never said a word about it.”

And even though he had been embarrassed by a diminutive sophomore, Fracalosy quickly realized Devera was going to make his job a lot easier over the next three years.

Devera went on to win the Century League singles titles in 1991 and this season. Devera’s titles came by beating Canyon’s Eric Lin, now the top-ranked 18-year-old in Southern California.

This season, Devera went 57-3 in dual matches and led Villa Park to the league title and a berth in the Division I Southern Section playoffs, where it lost to Woodbridge in Tuesday’s first round.

Last month, Devera signed a letter of intent to play tennis at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. But before he moves on, Devera would like to play well in his last high school event, the section individual singles tournament, which begins at 9 this morning at the University of Redlands.

In three previous years, Devera’s best showing was a third-round finish in 1992.

“I just hope I can make it to the round of 16,” he said. “I know to do that, I have to beat some pretty good players.”

Lin is one good player Devera will not have to worry about. He withdrew this week because of an injured elbow.

However, Devera acknowledged Lin would have had a much better chance of winning the section singles title than he does.

Devera realizes he had an advantage during his 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 victory last week in the league final; Lin was injured.

“He really couldn’t even serve,” Devera said. “He was serving underhanded the whole match.”

While Devera didn’t feel sorry enough for Lin to let him win, he is sorry he didn’t follow Lin’s lead two years ago.

It was then Lin abandoned his baseline game, in which he relied on his ground stroke, and began to play a serve-and-volley game.

“I remember when he decided to switch,” Devera said. “At the same time, I was wondering if I should switch. But I could never really make myself do it.

“I guess I was too scared to do it. You have to accept that you’re going to do a lot of losing at first. I guess, it takes the right mental attitude.”

Now, Devera almost wishes he could have those two years back.

“At the time, the (junior) ranking was a big deal to me,” he said. “Now, I kind of wish I would have done it.”

But Devera said the deciding factor turned out to be his size. At 5 feet 7, he knew he wouldn’t be as effective at the net as Lin, who is 6 feet.

“Even if I was going to change my game to serve and volley, I wasn’t going to be able to come in every time,” Devera said. “Not at my size.”

Said Mike Nelson, head pro at Ridgeline Tennis Academy in Orange who has coached Devera for six years: “You mold the kid’s game around his physical assets. And he’s never going to be a serve-and-volley player, but he can attack the net more. I think he’s beginning to do that and that’s why he’s had such a good year.”

Lin said he has seen a more aggressive Devera lately.

“His game’s improved a lot,” Lin said. “His serve’s picked up and his confidence is up. Even though he still relies on his ground strokes, you see him at the net more often.”

Devera said he owes some of his improved net game to his sister Faye, who won last month’s Ojai girls’ 14 tournament.

“We hit with each other a lot and she’s pretty good at the net,” Devera said. “At times, her volleys are better than mine.”

Fracalosy has also taken note of Faye’s talent.

“I told her when she stopped by our match against Woodbridge, ‘Cut your hair and put a cap on, because we could use you,’ ” he said. “She could probably play for us.”

Fracalosy has obviously learned never to underestimate a Devera wearing a baseball cap.