Practice and discipline are words exchanged between player and coach. Love and friendship are thoughts shared among father and son.
But to Bobby and Huntley Montgomery, who embrace both relationships, their bond is something unprecedented. It's something only people like Tubby and Saul Smith or Frank and Shane Beamer could understand.
"We have a very special relationship," said Bobby Montgomery, a Virginia men's tennis assistant coach and the father of Cavalier senior Huntley Montgomery. "We trust each other and are very open with each other about everything. We are as close as you can possibly be in a healthy relationship."
After all, the two probably spend more time together than any other father and college son would. Since 1999, when the Montgomery family moved to Charlottesville from Chapel Hill, N.C., and Bobby became an assistant coach, Bobby and Huntley have seen each other frequently during practices and matches. They also play each other once a week at the Glenmore Country Club, where Bobby is the head tennis professional.
If it's not on the tennis courts, it's at home, where you can find them watching sports, playing golf or, as Huntley put it, "just hanging out."
"We always get stuck doing yard work together," he said with a smile. "He's my dad, but he's also just like one of my good friends just because we spend so much time together."
Even before Bobby and Huntley came to Virginia, things were never any different. Bobby played at Murray State and posted the third-best collegiate record in school history, 119-33, and a top 200 world ranking. It seemed natural for him to want his son to follow in his footsteps, but Bobby consistently stressed the importance of academics and encouraged Huntley to play a variety of sports.
Driven by great respect and admiration for his dad, Huntley found his way back to his father's passion. From that point on, the father coached the son, both in tennis and through childhood.
"I chose tennis because [my father] was like my hero," Huntley said. "He's always been my coach. He's always pushed me."
Considering what Huntley has accomplished, it shows. At Chapel Hill High, Huntley was two-time state champion, two-time North Carolina player of the year and two-time PAC-6 most valuable player. Known for his toughness and competitiveness, he now plays the second spot for the Cavaliers and, teaming with senior partner Brian Vahaly, is ranked No. 2 in the nation in doubles.
But as talented as he is, Huntley knows that his father played a big part in his achievements.
"He's seen me play since forever," Huntley said. "He knows my game better than anybody else. He always knows what he's talking about, and I try to take everything he says to heart."
Both Huntley and Bobby admit that it wasn't always easy being both player and coach, and father and son. As a coach, Bobby found it difficult to push his son the same way he motivated others. As a player, Huntley felt it hard to receive constant criticism from his father. For both, isolating the two aspects of their lives became the biggest challenge.
"I found myself backing off sometimes just because I loved him so much," Bobby said. "It's hard to put on the coach jacket and then the daddy jacket. It's a very difficult situation."
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"It was hard to just leave tennis on the courts," Huntley added. "But I knew that he just wanted me to be the best."
Even through the hard times, however, Huntley and Bobby also admit that they would never have it any other way. The two have learned that they don't need to separate the relationships, and they choose instead to embrace the unique connection they have.
"We spend so many hours together," Huntley said. "It's helped with honesty, and it's definitely made us closer than anything else."
"Tennis is a microcosm of life," Bobby added. "Through tennis, we've learned and benefited so much from our lifelong experiences together."
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