Icy Treatment Led UCI’s Tardif to Seek Refuge in Tennis : Athletics: Son of former hockey star Marc Tardif was abused by fans. He took up a new game, and the Anteaters are happy he did.

Coach Steve Clark can thank the rabid hockey fans of Quebec City--at least indirectly--for the hottest new player on the UC Irvine tennis team.

Marc-Andre Tardif, son of former World Hockey Assn. and NHL standout Marc Tardif, says hockey is still his first love. “For me, hockey is the game I love the most, it is such a great game,” he said. “Then golf, and tennis is third.”

But the younger Tardif’s hockey career ended when he was 11.

His father started with the Montreal Canadiens before jumping to the WHA’s Los Angeles Sharks. He later was traded to the Quebec Nordiques and became the league’s top scorer during the 1975-76 season. Despite all that, the taunts of junior hockey parents during his father’s last years in pro hockey were more than Marc-Andre could bear.

“Hey, Tardif, you’re as bad as your old man.”

“You and your dad should both retire.”

“I was playing four times a week and I ended up crying after most games,” he said. “You can’t believe how mean people can be. I asked my dad if I could remove my name from the back of my sweater, but he said everyone would still know who I was because I would be the only one without a name.

“So he and my mother had a long talk and made the decision I should stop playing hockey, but I really wanted to keep playing.”

Since he was no longer chasing pucks, he turned his attention to swatting tennis balls. When he was 8, the city had built a couple of public tennis courts adjacent to his house. By the time he was 13 and concentrating on groundstrokes instead of slap shots, he was the top-ranked junior in Canada.

He remained No. 1 for four years, in the 14-and-under division, the 16s and then the 18s.

His tennis coach wanted Tardif to turn professional when he was 16, but Tardif wasn’t sure it would be a wise move.

“They wanted me to stop school and go on the tour, but I just didn’t feel ready,” he said. “I was already traveling about six months out of the year, but I thought 16 was too young to stop school.

“What if I couldn’t make money on the tour? What happens when I’m 23 or 24 and I have nothing to fall back on? It seemed wiser to me to go to college in Quebec City for two years, then come to the United States to finish my education and play in the NCAA. Then I can always still give the circuit a try. I don’t feel it will be too late.”

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Tardif enrolled at St. Lawrence University in Quebec City and spent two years hitting the books first and the backhands when he had the time. He continued to play tennis, but his tournament schedule was abbreviated.

He admits it has been hard watching his former junior tennis peers advance through the professional ranks, but he hasn’t let it shake his conviction about the importance of an education.

“One of my friends from Canada (Greg Rudeski) is No. 45 in world right now and he just beat (Michael) Chang in a final,” Tardif said. “I beat Greg a couple years ago in the nationals and we were about the same then, but I’m sure he’s improved a lot and is much better than me now.

“It’s a strange feeling, yes, but really I can only feel happy for him because he has worked really hard and now it’s paying off for him.

“Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a lot more fun to be on the tennis court than sitting at a desk studying, but an education is important, a degree is important. I made a good decision.”

Neither Tardif nor Clark can remember when they began writing, but three days after a visit to Irvine last March, Tardif called back to tell Clark he had decided to enroll at Irvine.

And this time, Clark owes a debt of thanks to the local golf scene.

“My dad and I played golf at Monarch Beach and Pelican Hill and some courses out in Palm Springs,” Tardif said. “I think Pelican Hill is the nicest course I’ve ever played on.”

At the moment, however, tennis is No. 1 in his program, if not in his heart.

“Marc-Andre is a very quiet, polite and sensitive guy, but on the court he’s a bloodhound,” Clark said. “He comes from very competitive stock, of course, and he’s aggressive and takes it seriously. He’s also a mature kid, too. I mean you can tell that by how academic-minded he is.

“He played a tremendous amount of tennis this summer and when he came here, after taking a couple of days to adjust to the courts, he’s been really good. And he has four years of eligibility left.”

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During his initial foray onto the battlefields of college tennis, Tardif displayed a potentially bright future. He reached the singles semifinals of the Rolex-ITA Southern California regionals at Irvine before losing and also advanced to the quarterfinals in doubles with partner Kenny Cruz.

“This is my first tournament, so I didn’t really know what to expect,” Tardif said Friday after a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Irvine teammate Julian Foxon. “I think I’m playing pretty well right now, but I don’t have any set goals here. My main objective is just to play well and have fun.”

Tardif is excited about the team aspect of NCAA tennis. He said the most fun he’s had playing tennis was during the World Youth Cup when he was competing for his country instead of just for himself.

“Here, the No. 6 player’s match is as important as the No. 1 guy,” he said. “Everybody’s on the same side and cheering for you. I think that aspect will make it seem new and exciting.”

Tardif has taken the first step toward the degree he believes is so important and has already zinged passing shots past some of the best college players in the nation, but he still has to concentrate on the positive aspects of being more than 3,000 miles from home.

“I’m really homesick,” he said, managing a smile. “I talk to my dad and my mom and my sisters two times a week and it’s not easy for me. I was often away when I was traveling to play junior tennis, but it’s not the same as living away.

“The coaches and the guys on the team have been very nice and that has helped the adjustment. And the tennis is going good, school is going good and so I think it’s a good experience for me, even though it is hard.

“I think when I’m done, I’ll be very happy I did it. But the best place in the world is home.”

Unless you’re an 11-year-old hockey player with the name of an aging hockey star on your back.