1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - Nebraska Men's Tennis HC Peter Kobelt - August 27th, 2025

Episode Date: August 27, 2025

Nebraska Men's Tennis HC Peter Kobelt - August 27th, 2025Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You're listening to One-on-One with DP. Brought you by Canopy Street Market on 93-7, The Ticket and the Ticketfm.com. Welcome back, one-on-one. Again, shout out to Jane Lewis for stopping by and adding to Peter Colvel. Oscar Tennis joins us. And you mentioned the guys are back at work. You're back at work. what's the schedule look like now for you well what's what are the days like yeah right now we're in

this wonky eight hour period so for everyone that doesn't know it's like you're out of you're starting practice but you're not really allowed to practice a lot you get four hours of distinguished tennis tennis time and then the other four hours totaling eight hours that we you know they're allowed to do physical activity so they they go and work out in the gym so it's not a lot of time to work out with the guys, but we at least get to start. We kind of manage the schedule a little bit. We're starting tomorrow. So we have four hours. We'll do an hour tomorrow, an hour Friday, and then two hours on Saturday. So get in a little bit of, you know, give them a little dose of what the fall is going to be like. So will there be any, any bonding over football? Is that?

100%. Yeah, the boys love it. So get together and have a, have a full watch. I think, I don't know what they have planned, but the teams, you know, that's one of the, my biggest priorities with the team is that we create an environment where they do stuff together, not just go to the training table and eat together, but hang out together. Once everything's done for the day, you know, create. I think last year was our team was really close, and I think, you know, those little things matter when it comes to some of these bigger matches that we were able to come through in last year. But it makes it more fun, you know, when you know your guys really well, when you actually know them and care about them and, you know, they become, you know, while they're here, it's great, but then also later in life, you know, 10, 20, 30 years down the road,

you got like a friend for life no matter where they are on the planet. Yeah, it's funny. I am still friends with the guys I play ball with college. It's the best. It is. There's nothing like a, you know, it's a deeper friendship, man. You look them in the eye and you're like, hey, that guy went through hell with me. You know, we, you know, we did all the, all the fun stuff, you know, all the winning, all the losing, college, studying the whole shebang.

And you just, you know, you see them for the first time. It's like, it's just something you can't describe. So let's go through the, through the roster, the newcomers. Yeah. Introduce folks to, to the new members of the roster. Sure. So we'll start with Neals, Van der Siege. He's from the Netherlands.

He was our first commit in the class. tennis loves tennis just a tennis nerd just up and down lives it eats it breathes it loves super competitive uh big upside he's going to be he's still growing he's still growing out and grown up um i mean those are the types of players that i love to recruit just because you know you don't have you're not i'm not going to have to motivate him to want to do well i'm not going to have to keep an eye and i'm at the training table making sure he's eating the right stuff he's going to be doing his homework as well like he's just a well-rounded kid raised by a great family and say his last name again band or two it's three three three three words ban and then der and then siege siege siege

i was looking at what what's the acclamation process time for folks who are coming from different countries to come to link in Nebraska and engage themselves in academics and athletics yeah It's hard. It's hard. I mean, and we run a tight ship, too. So no matter how hard they've worked at home, the level of intensity is going to be higher than what they're used to. And then you're going to have to turn around and go to school right after and manage all that as well. So we're so lucky that we're set up with all the resources that we have. I know every time I come on, I talk about it. And, you know, I can't reiterate how important all that is. But the tutors and the academic support, the life skills, you know, up and down, up and down the table there. It's just amazing.

So it really allows the student athletes to really focus on their sport when they come to practice. And, you know, we're going to need them to. So is there some nutritional adjustment as well? I think the food is just different. The food that we have here, the train table is amazing. but you know the way they raise their cattle and their chickens and stuff over overseas is different than how it is here so sometimes they got to adjust a little bit here and there but um the tennis players are very well um educated on nutrition at a young age because that's kind of how our sports design novac jokovic really revolutionized that in our game um so you have kids that are 15 16 17 years old who know what to eat already, know how to eat,

and know when to eat. And I think that's pretty unique with the sport of tennis, just because you've got to try and maximize your body. And it's becoming a really, really physical sport. But, yeah, I mean, the nutritional side's, you know, you are what you eat. And tennis, you can't sub yourself out. So you got to, you got to be able to do it.

That's why I didn't play tennis. I am a pizza. Who else is new? Who else is new to the roster? Yep, we got another freshman, Yeri Lassila from Finland. Same deal as Neils. Loves tennis. Not quite as tall and big yet, but he's got a lot of game.

Very talented, cool under pressure. The moment doesn't get to him. So, you know, it's really hard to teach. Him and Neels both have won a lot of matches in the juniors. Also hard to teach. It's really hard to teach. teach winning how to win. That takes time.

These guys have it already. So even though they're freshmen and they're going to have to get used to everything, they're going to put on some muscle and grow and get used to college, they have the right bones and characteristics to be successful in year one here, and that's what we're looking for. How does that, how do you process that, that you have some idea about the depth of your roster, but placement, placement. Are you looking?

Do you know who your one is? Do you know who you two is? Do you know who the doubles are going to be? Or does that play out throughout the course of fall? I think last year there was a little bit of a pecking order. You know, Calvin was the first team all big 10, returner. And Anton had a national ranking last year.

So those two are penciled up there at the top at one and two, whatever way you want to order them at the beginning of the year. Calvin ended up playing mostly one. But this year, I think we got a team that's everyone, everyone can play everywhere. And I've never been on a team like that. I've never coached a team like that. So I'm really curious to see, you know,

who's going to seize their opportunity and say, I want to play number one for the Huskers this year. I want to play number one for the, you know, fifth best team in the conference, you know, I want to be that guy. So that'll be what the fall is about. We're going to learn a lot about our guys. We're, you know, I think you got to,

you got to really see what you got. You got to put them under pressure. you got to, you know, break them down and then bring them back and then bring them back up. But you've got to, you know, my job is to find out what we have. And then after that, I'll have a better idea of, you know, who's going to be playing where and what I have, you know, you have an idea now. But it's a new year, new team, new energy. And whatever happened last year doesn't matter. You know, you're not entitled to success.

You got to earn it each and every year, each and every day. So we'll see. Is there a chance to use this to make the. the team in complete better that quite frankly compete compete compete and you have a chance in that in that competition to get better yeah for sure and you know we've made it clear like if you were a captain last year you're not there's no yeah that's literally the next question there's nothing guaranteed to be a captain this year you got to earn it again we vote for captains at the end of the fall so you know the whole you know everything you do from they want to practice

up until captains are voted for in three months. Like it all matters. It all counts. But what do you say to them defining what leadership should be? My biggest thing with leadership is, you know, you need to be whatever, whatever we dubbed this season the chase. And that means chasing, you know, greatness every single day. So that means, okay, every decision that you make is it helping,

the team move towards greatness or is it are we taking a step back the other way so if you're going to be a captain of the team you've got to be choosing you know this step I'm this decision I'm going to make no matter how big or small it is it has to be the right decision in terms of pushing the team towards greatness whatever whatever that means for our team this year whether it's a big 10th title I don't know but we're going to maximize what we got and getting our guys to understand that your daily decisions, your daily habits are what build our team into a monster that no one's going to want to play and compete against

come January or a team that, you know, someone's got to finish eighth, ninth, tenth, and the big ten. It can be you guys too if you want to be. You guys, you know, that's where the leadership, the leaders of this team have to be choosing greatness with every decision they make. And then hopefully the youngsters and the new guys hop on board too. have five seniors, but leadership being formed and earned, not given.

Yeah. But they are the placeholders for that fifth spot. They know what kind of work was put in. They also know some of the deficit that's required, right, for them to fill. Talk about the leadership in the seniors, because this is the final run for them. What's the expectation? Yeah, I think what. they learned last year was just you know as my first year as the ball or as the interim head coach it was

a little different last year i was actually the head coach and they got a they got a taste of me in the entire season and how long and physical it is not just like physically on your body but also mentally the you know the expectations of competing your your hardest each and every single match is not is not easy and they learned that last year and some of them did well with it. Some of them didn't, you know, out of those five seniors, and that's okay. But I think they understand me now. They understand what's coming. They understand how to manage their bodies better, their minds, better. And I'm learning too. I'm improving too. But the Big Ten's only getting tougher, man. I'm telling you what, some of the recruits, the Big Ten is leveling up, just like in

football and some of these other sports. Like, the Big Ten ain't missing around. So they understand what's what's in front of them they understand you know they have a better understanding of me they they know what tomorrow's practice is going to be like um the freshmen don't but they do so you know i'm going to lean on them whether or not they're a captain or not i always say everyone should be a leader you know you should be you should be yourself as a leader in your own eyes no matter what anyone else boats or says but but uh but yeah these five guys are going to be instrumental to to what we do this year for sure how do you keep from looking over the fence at your neighbors in the 10 conference.

You want to focus on your own on your own work. But young people, we know this about teenagers. They look across the fence, man. They need to see what other folks are doing. How do you boundary that? Yeah, I think you just, you have to,

I had a great coach in college. And the thing I remember the most is when he spoke, you felt him. It wasn't like, talking to them or, you know, every coach says the right thing. But the players got to feel you, man. They got to feel you. They got to believe you.

They got to feel you. It's got to be authentic. It's got to be from the heart. And they got, you know, they got to believe that the message you're giving them is, is the truth. You know, these kids aren't dumb. They know what's going on. So, look, for me, it's like, guys, look, it's the first day of the fall. We can't win the Big Ten today, but we can most certainly lose it.

You know, we got a, you know, it's a, you know, it's a, one hour and we're going to practice for one hour. Water bottles are filled up before practice if you want to warm up your body physically, do all the band stuff that happens before 8 a.m. And then once 8 a.m. comes, we got an hour flying around. That's all we're going to be great for an hour. And then that's all we're allowed to do with you. And then we'll do it again the next day.

But just trying to stack good days after one good day after another. I don't know. I just feel like with coaching and specifically in tennis, it's it's more of like teaching the game and I think and I think what's unique about colleges you can you can teach them how to compete and how to win and that's something that I learned while I was in college and I think that's the ingredient that keeps you good every year is as hey you know we're going to be some tough SOBs and we're going to compete and we're going to be tough no matter you know what's going on and from there like let's let's see let's roll

let's roll with the with the punches and and if you guys do that out you know you guys are going to be one hell of a team come may it's got to be cool to see the surrounding success of some of the other athletic programs and it should move the needle we'll go to break we'll come back two things they got to ask one what you think's going to happen to the u.s. open because it's already i mean again watching it form has been pretty brilliant and then two what needs what are your keys to tomorrow night i need to know what what where coach cobalt thinks the hustlers need to do in order to get a win against Cincinnati. Peter Crowbelt, D.P. We'll be right back.

You're listening to One-on-One with D.P. Brought you by Canopy Street Market on 93-7, the ticket and the ticket FM.com. It is Husker Football Eve. Peter Crowbell, Nebraska tennis head coach in the room and keys. keys. Like, if you're giving the pregame speech for Matt Roll, what do you point, what do you point now to them as a coach? Oh man, don't, don't put the, don't put the mic in my hand there.

Matt's got those pregame speech down. He's a killer with that one minute, man. Yeah, but what are the keys? What do you want? Because it's that last thing that you want players to take with them, the thing that, that voice in their head. Planning seeds is what John Thompson used to always. I say in the pregame. What are the keys?

If you're Nebraska football on the road opening that. I think you just got to play discipline. They're going to have to manage their emotions. I know they're super excited. It's going to be an insane venue. It's 90% Husker fans. The place is going to be bumping. You know, everyone's going to be there.

Travis Kelsey, the whole shebang. I mean, it's going to be a. about, you know, can we just make this another day? Can, you know, can we just do the basics? Well, you know, I think they're a bigger, stronger, faster team in Cincinnati. I think they got more talent in the right positions. You know, some explosive guys on the outside, great running backs. Offensive line's great.

Dylan's obviously phenomenal. Quarterback coming in the year two. You know, defense is going to be strong. Like, can we tackle well? Can we not turn the ball over? can we, you know, play the last two minutes of the first half and the first two minutes of the second half? Well, you know, just fundamental football. Can we handle the emotions of the, you know, first game in the year?

All that. I think that's going to be the key. On the road, right? Travel. What do you do food ones? Is that catered from within or is that you allowing your host to kind of cut that up for you? Football is a whole other beast. They're traveling, you know.

know a whole army down there tennis we got 12 13 guys so we can kind of pick and choose what we want we kind of see when we where we go some of the guys like certain restaurants so if we find one of those there we'll go you know our probably our fan favorite for the team is kava whenever we're on the road kava it's like a Mediterranean chipotle kind of deal really good but uh you know something italianish or rice and proteins that sort of deal i have a i have a i have a rule of guys make fun of me. They think, uh, they're hoping I don't reinstate it this year, but I got a 24 hour no dairy roll. The dairy. You mentioned that. I was wondering if you were going to, if you were going to hold to that. Absolutely, man. The dairy gets, the dairy sits in your stomach and it, and it's tough

to digest. So any, any of those, any of young kids out there, if you're going out to play a game, no ice cream, no, no milk in the morning with your cereal, get rid of that. And you'll, you'll what's the breakfast then? No cereal, no milk. What's the breakfast? Oates. toast, eggs, avocado, berries, you know. Protein? Yeah, I mean, that's where, you know, the eggs and if you want to add some, like, like some bacon, or, uh, on tour, man, all the Europeans would eat smoke, salmon. I'm just like, I can't do salmon in the mind, man.

That's too much. Oh, you should see some of the breakfasts out there, man, over across the world. We'll be some of them are wild. So, but, uh, but yeah. Just stay away. I like to stay away from dairy. Everything digest better. So you're telling Nebraska football.

You tell them the bigs, no dairy. I'm not telling them. I mean, they do it. They know how those guys roll, you know, the nutritional staff, Kristen Coggins, phenomenal. Flick,

they do an amazing job. They'll have whatever they need down there to, to roll 100%. Those boys know what they need to eat. It's always cool, perspective, right, that you get to see them on a day-to-day base to see how they move, see how they work. And as Jalen said, this team looks a little different, just physically. They look a little different.

Yep. Your eyes to it as a coach, how's it look? Yeah, same. They definitely look different. They got some athletes in the building. That's for sure. Isn't that interesting that you pay attention to that thing. You like to believe that it's all the internal stuff.

It's all heart character. Sure. Well, I think you can't have one or the other. Like you have to have both. And I think that's what Coach Rural does such a good job of, you know, he's coaching the small details. He's coaching the dot in your eyes and the crossing your T's. And now he's got some guys that look like they can play on Sundays also doing that. And that's where you can kind of start to, you know, build the, build the harpoon, you know,

to really go and spear some of these top programs out there. So I think that's what's, that's why coach. Roos excited. Year three, you know, like I said, like I think we need to kind of get out of this year three thing, like, a little bit. Like, that's, you know, coach rules, phenomenal coach guys. Like, whether it's year three or your four or your five, like, he's getting this thing going in the right direction.

I mean, we're inside the training table every day. We see the guys. They're bigger, stronger, faster. They look different. They talk different. They walk different. Like, they're getting better. So whether it happens tomorrow night or one year from now, it's coming.

It's coming. It's important to hear. It's important to hear it. Like we get into our vacuum and sometimes you can get caught up in it. That's why we ask you. That's why we ask you. Change the whole thing. And finally, who are the favorites in the U.S.O?

Who do you like? I mean, you can't bet against Yonix Center. He's the best player in the world, best on hard court. Al Carras is always going to be in there. I would hope that we see someone new, maybe start to fight their way in there, but right now it's a two-horse race in this thing, man. It's the Onyanax Center and Carlo Southress.

On the women's side, who you go? I'm going to go with Cocoa Gough, American. American. Listen, working on the serve. Yeah. Working on the serve. She's got to get it going. But she just hired a new coach.

If she does, she got through round one last night. She can get a few more wins under her belt, you know. This guy's the limit for her. Coach, thank you, bro. Thank you, D.P. It's always good. We're going to do this regular, man. I told you.

We got to figure out, do we want to call it in Nebraska tennis or the Peter Crowbell? No, no, Nebraska, baby. There we is. There it is, bro. Don't go anywhere of the coach. Barry Thompson joins us from Virginia.

We'll break it all down for you here on the ticket.