Persson at home on tennis team

by Chris Sigley

Mats Persson is finding out it’s a little easier to go to school and play tennis than it was fighting for survival in the forests back in the Swedish Army.

The 24-year-old transfer from Linkoeding High School in Linkoeding, Sweden is the new addition to NIU’s tennis team this fall.

Persson, who made ranks as a lieutenant in the Swedish Army, said he had to serve the longest stint, which was two years, as compared to seven and 12 month periods. He was chosen to serve this time and rank because of the higher score he achieved on the test he was required to take following high school graduation.

Persson said he didn’t really enjoy the two years he spent in the military.

“We had to be in the forest for (one) survival week,” Persson said, “and we had no food. We had to eat what we could find. I would rather be working on stereos or play tennis.”

Although his military years weren’t classified in the “best times of your life” experiences, Persson picked up some valuable skills.

“You learn how to clean things and to make your bed,” Persson said.

Persson said there are not many similarities between the rugged army drills and coach Carl Neufeld’s daily practices.

“You can’t compare them,” Persson said. “but some (practices) are easy and some are not so easy.”

Neufeld said Persson blends right in with the rest of the squad. He’s won all three matches he’s played (two singles and one double) and is slated in “the middle of the lineup,” Neufeld said.

“He works really hard on the court, which is typical of Swedish players,” Neufeld said. “He’s much more consistent in his actions and he is a very mature person.

“I think that being out of school and experiencing the things he did (in the army) has given him a good insight in the fact that he wants to be in school. He understands the value of school and the great opportunity that it offers.”

Persson, along with his Swedish heritage, was not alone when he joined the squad. Teammate Erik Andersch, also from Sweden, has been someone Persson can relate to.

“It’s good in one way (with Erik on the team) because we look at things more the same way,” Persson said. “But when we’re together, we always speak Swedish, and I need to improve my English.”

While language is usually the most difficult adaptation to make for a foreign student, Persson said he is improving there. And Persson’s tennis skills also have gotten better.

“The main reason he’s improving is because he’s playing every day as opposed to once or twice a week,” Neufeld said.

Now that Neufeld knows how much Persson disliked the army, the NIU coach has a new threat to humor him with.

“If he doesn’t improve,” Neufeld said, “we’ll send him back to the forests in the army—or better yet, to the cornfields of DeKalb.”