Athlete of the Week: Hoffmann a class act for CdM
Corona del Mar High senior Bjorn Hoffmann made the CIF singles division championship match last weekend at the 116th annual Ojai Tennis Tournament.
It was Hoffmann’s second straight finals appearance at the prestigious tournament. Hundreds watched as he played Peninsula’s Connor Hance on Court No. 1 at Libbey Park.
Hoffmann lost, 6-2, 6-2, to the No. 2-seeded Hance to again earn runner-up honors. Yet, it was a successful run to the final for Hoffmann, who beat three straight “blue chip” players en route, including top-seeded Jacob Brumm of Torrey Pines High in the quarterfinals.
The success was not just based on the results. Of all the people who watched the final, only a handful had seen Hoffmann’s semifinal match Saturday morning against Billy Rowe of Coronado High. Yet, it provided a glimpse into the character of the Cal-bound Hoffmann.
Rowe, bound for Vanderbilt, was serving in the second game of the match. Hoffmann had a break point when Rowe’s forehand landed on the right sideline. Hoffmann initially called the shot out, which would have given him the break of serve and a 2-0 advantage.
Rowe was incredulous. He left the court to go find an umpire, throwing his hat off in disgust.
“Can I get an umpire?” he said. “I didn’t think I’d need one in the second game.”
Meanwhile, Hoffmann was asking CdM Coach Jamie Gresh if Rowe’s shot was actually in. Gresh told his player that it probably was, so Hoffmann gave Rowe the point.
Not every kid would have done that. A break of serve early in the first set would have been big for Hoffmann, who actually lost the game — and the first set — before rallying to beat Rowe, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Yet, the fact that he wanted to get the call right mattered more to Hoffmann, the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week.
“The way it came off [the court] I saw a mark where I thought it would be, so I thought it was definitely out,” Hoffmann said after the match. “Obviously, he thought it was completely in. I asked Jamie if it was in, because if it was in and everyone thought it was in, then I’m wrong and that’s fine. I’ll give him the point. Then Jamie said he thought it was in, so it was like, ‘Your point, whatever, next point. Sorry.’ I wasn’t trying to hook [cheat] him. That stuff happens, and I gave it to him, and I thought I was a pretty good sport about it.”
Hoffmann is laid back on the court, more likely to become annoyed at himself than his opponent. What he is for the Sea Kings is an anchor, a four-year varsity guy who has held down the No. 1 singles spot the last three seasons.
Hoffmann has a 46-2 dual match record this year for the Sea Kings, and is undefeated in the tough Pacific Coast League. He has helped CdM (14-4, 7-2 in league) lock up second place in the league after finishing fourth a year ago and failing to make the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. This year, the Sea Kings are ranked No. 6 in Division 1 and Hoffmann and senior co-captain Pedro Fernandez del Valle, who is bound for the University of Denver, want to lead them deep into the postseason.
“Everyone’s trying super-hard,” Hoffmann said. “Everyone acknowledges that we have a really strong team this year, and I think that pumps everybody up a little bit more, motivates everybody to train that much harder. I think Pedro and I do a good job of kind of leading that charge, helping everybody improve and get motivated to win big matches that last year I don’t think we would have had a chance at.”
The individual numbers are impressive for Hoffmann. Two more that impress Gresh are that his star player has missed just two matches in four years playing for CdM.
“I think Bjorn’s always fulfilled everything I’ve asked of him on court, in his play and how he’s always competed well,” Gresh said. “But I think the thing I’m most proud of is how he’s carried himself. He’s been our No. 1 player here for three years, and he’s conducted himself well with his sportsmanship and his integrity. In four years he’s missed two matches and maybe two practices. I don’t think you can say that about a lot of top kids, in terms of dedicating themselves to the high school coach, the program and the teammates. He’s always been a team guy first, and he’s been a great leader on the court and off the court.”
Hoffmann, whose father Carsten and mother Biljana both played tennis at UC Irvine, has other individual goals he’d like to achieve before he plays for the Golden Bears next year. He has a chance to capture his first PCL singles title next week at Beckman High, after finishing second as a sophomore and junior. Another top-two finish at league finals would enable him to make the CIF Individuals tournament for the third straight year.
Last year, Hoffmann got to the CIF Individuals quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Brandon Holt of Palos Verdes. This year, he would be one of the favorites to win.
Hoffmann has gained confidence. Last September he played in his first USTA professional futures tournament, at Laguna Niguel Racquet Club. He battled through qualifying to make the main draw, where he lost in three sets to Shotaro Goto of Japan. Hoffmann said after that solid result, he actually began slumping a bit.
Still, his overall growth has been very evident.
“I think I’ve gotten way better at little stuff, like backhand slices,” he said. “I would never hit a backhand slice my freshman year. I think today, I’m utilizing more shots that I really didn’t have in my arsenal back then. I think my serve has gotten a lot better, volleys a lot better.
“College doubles, that counts as a point, so that’s obviously important. One of the biggest differences between junior tennis and pro tennis is finishing points. Being able to come up to the net and finish points is a big deal, and I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better at recognizing and doing that.”
Hoffmann’s four-year career at CdM will soon be drawing to a close. The Sea Kings will miss his play, yes, but also that leadership ability.
“He’s going to try to win the PCL and then make a deep run [at CIF Individuals],” Gresh said. “He’s capable of winning it, absolutely. He’s playing at that level, and he’s got the game that he can win CIF and get a name up on the board here [at the CdM courts as a CIF finalist]. I’m hopeful that he can do so. And we’re going to try to make a deep run in the playoffs, and I think that will be super fulfilling for him as well, to try to guide this team. He’s been instrumental, pretty much winning three [sets] every time, minus two matches.
“It’s just been amazing to watch him develop and grow as a tennis player, but also from a 14-, 15-year-old kid to an 18-year-old adult. He’s matured a lot, he’s more plugged in and he plays his role so well as a team leader and a mature senior.”
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Bjorn Hoffmann
Born: March 17, 1998
Hometown: Newport Beach
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 160 pounds
Sport: Tennis
Year: Senior
Coach: Jamie Gresh
Favorite food: Mexican food
Favorite movie: “Zootopia”
Favorite athletic moment: Competing with CdM boys’ tennis at the National High School All-American Tournament that the Sea Kings host.
Week in review: Hoffmann advanced to the CIF singles division title match at the prestigious Ojai Tennis Tournament for the second straight year before falling to Peninsula’s Connor Hance.
