The athlete responsible for the newest hardware in Ralston Valley High School’s trophy case could be considered old school.
Senior Vinny Fallico drives a classic 1970 Buick Catalina and prefers Pete Sampras to Andy Roddick. When it came time to hone his serve in preparation for a second run at the Class 4A state tennis singles title, Fallico didn’t enlist a trainer or hire a club pro.
He turned to his brother Gino.
“He was an incredible player and he really got me into it,” Fallico said. “Over the summer he helped me get my serve to where it is a weapon more than just a point starter. When I walk up to the line, I’m not worried about hitting my serves.”
Last season, Fallico won his way to the state final but missed a chance at the singles title after squandering a match point with a weak serve.
When Fallico found himself at the state tournament Oct. 16 facing an almost identical situation, the Mustangs’ senior did anything but panic.
After serving at 5-4 in the second set against Greeley West’s Calvin Webster, Fallico used an overpowering serve to win the point en route to a 6-2, 6-4 victory. He rallied from a 4-3 deficit to win the final three games.
“I had that in the back of my mind from last year,” Fallico said. “But,I had made the change in my game where I was really confident that I could go out and finish it off and I did.”
That change included being more aggressive on his serving toss and getting more extension on his arm to meet the ball instead of just letting it fall to him.
The new style worked at the state finals and while Fallico brings the first state tennis title to add to the Mustangs’ populated trophy case, he has also won a personal collection of tournament accolades on the United States Tennis Association circuit.
Fallico is ranked No. 20 in Colorado in the USTA Boys 18 Singles Division and claims victories in events such as the Jon Cox Memorial, the Denver City Open and the Boulder Country Club Open.
He also competes outside his home state with tourney wins in North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas and Utah and believes it is practice and dedication that have elevated his game.
“I work on my serve every day and after practice during the season I would go out and hit a couple baskets of balls and set up cones on the court just to get it going,” Fallico said. “If you want to get better at a sport like tennis, you have to give a hundred percent every time and I’ve been working my whole high school career to get to where I am now.”
Fallico is likely headed to college at the University of Colorado at Boulder or Colorado State University in Fort Collins after graduation, but the legacy he leaves at Ralston Valley is a foundation for future success. He points to such up-and-coming stars such as Chris Castaneda as a talent that might bring him some company in the trophy case.
“He’s got a powerful serve and he works hard,” Fallico said. “If he continues to work as hard as he does, he can be successful.”