Team's Upward Mobility Not Slowed By Player's Woes

junkyard dogs support no. 2 player with cancer

By Andrew Meyers/USTA Southern Intern

Tennis is just a game; try not too take it too seriously as there are much more important things in life. To Mike Jenkins and his team the Junkyard Dogs, tennis is really important. The Junkyard Dogs are a men’s 3.5 USTA League team from Greenville, S.C. led by their captain Jeremie Hicks.

Junkyard Dogs were undefeated in league play this season and were preparing for the annual South Carolina  tournament. They had previously advanced through the state tournament at the 3.0 level and had made it to USTA League Southern Section Championship the year before. This year they began playing at 3.5. This was a whole new challenge for the Junkyard Dogs.

Right before the state tournament they were in for a much greater and unfortunate surprise.

Their teammate and No. 2 singles player, Mike Jenkins, was diagnosed with bladder cancer. As captain Jeremie Hicks put it, “It was a huge shock for all of us. Mike was the fittest guy on our team, and he was in such better shape than everyone he played. A guy as healthy as Mike shouldn’t get cancer.”

Mike never smoked, didn’t drink and worked out everyday. The realization kicked in for his team, cancer can affect anyone, even Mike Jenkins.

In spite of the recent diagnosis, Hicks and the Junkyard Dogs still had the state tournament coming up. “We knew that even though Mike would not be able to play we still wanted to go out there and give it our best shot,” says Hicks. “In the back of our minds though, we knew we wanted to win this for Mike.”

The Junkyard Dogs did just that. Earning a wild card in their group, they were not expected to be a contender for the title. Losing early in the group stage, they pulled together and managed to make it to the finals, playing the team they had previously lost to earlier in the tournament. With a new sense of confidence, the team was able to pull off the victory and take states.

The team is now looking to continue their winning ways again without their teammate, but will still have Mike in their thoughts as they make their way to Birmingham.

Mike will be with his team in spirit and is already planning on making the trip with the rest of the Junkyard Dogs to this tournament next year. “In the end, we all die of something. But, while I’m alive, cancer won’t beat me. It may take a few games or even a set, but I already won the match a long time ago!” he said.

If anyone has any doubts about this team, they will be the first to tell you … these dogs still have plenty of bite left in them.