The diagnosis for Myers, 26, was tendinitis — a condition brought on by a special group of tennis players who are determined to wear out their youthful coach.

“I didn’t play much tennis at all last year,” says Myers. “This season, it’s been a different story. You’ve heard of gym rats in basketball, well, these guys are court rats. They want to play all the time.”

Sometimes the court rats play Myers. Sometimes they play one another. Sometimes they play whoever they happen to run into at City Park.

Yesterday, in the first round of the state 2A dual team playoffs, the court rats ran into Mount Pleasant. They treated the Tigers (8-6) like a hunk of Swiss cheese, scurrying to an easy 9-0 win.

In fairness to Mount, No. 2 seed from the Rocky River Conference, it was missing three regulars. The Cabarrus school is on spring break and some players weren’t available.

In fairness to Salisbury, while the match would have been closer had Mount been at full strength, the Hornets, No. 2 seed from the Central Carolina Conference, still would have advanced to a second-round meeting at Shelby next Tuesday.

“I really don’t know much about Mount,” said Myers. “I do know that Concord beat them and that we beat Concord.”

The real story with the Hornets is not what happened in yesterday’s romp, but what’s happened this season. The Hornets have come far, and they’ve come fast. Last season, Myers’ first as head coach, Salisbury finished a respectable 9-7. This year, they’ve quantum-leaped to 13-3.

“Last year we had a bunch of great guys,” said Myers. “But this year’s team has been more excited about winning. I think this year’s team beats last year’s 9-0.”

It’s a team that is a little wild, a little crazy and a lot confident.

Asked who the calmest guy on his team is, Myers grins and says, “We don’t have one of those.”

Few expected a Hornet resurgence in 2000. Not after losing No. 3 through No. 7 from a year ago.

The turnaround started at the top. In ‘99, No. 1 player, Helmut Shomaker, won just three matches. This season, he’s 11-5, while taking on everyone’s top gun.

“Helmut’s improved dramatically,” says Myers.

Shomaker, a junior, isn’t a European exchange student, even though his unusual first name makes you think he hails from Salzburg instead of Salisbury. Shomaker wears his hair like Bjorn Borg, hits the ball ferociously and lets his tennis do the talking. Asked why the team’s so much better this year than last, he responds succinctly, “Better players.”

There’s little question about that. Six Hornets qualified for this weekend’s 2A individual regionals. A year ago, only three Hornets made the regionals.

The team’s only senior, Scott Glassgow, has been a key. He’s a solid 12-5 at No. 2 thanks to a strong forehand that produces deceptive spins. Last season, he was 9-8.

“I’ve tried to be a role model,” says Glassgow. “We’ve got a lot of young guys out here, but they’re really talented. I’ve been surprised at how good our freshmen are.”

Everyone is.

Freshman Bill Michael Goodman, who says his hobby is picking on the much bigger Glassgow, is proficient enough to play on the No. 1 doubles team and has rolled to a 14-3 mark in singles.

“We started him out at No. 6. Now, he’s up to No. 3,” marvels Myers.

Goodman is a natural athlete — and will make a racket in the future on the Hornets soccer team.

“He’s a super soccer player,” says Myers. “We just hope he’ll stay with tennis, too. He’s really good.”

Another freshman, Aaron Post, 13-4, has been equally spectacular. He comes from a tennis family — the son of former Hornet star, Sammy Post. Post idolizes John McEnroe and owns a fearless attitude and a sky’s-the-limit future.

“He’s already got the most consistent strokes of anyone on the team,” says Myers.

The bespectacled Post isn’t big, but he has an appetite. He talked a Mount Pleasant parent out of a grilled hot dog as smoothly as he defeated his opponent.

Sophomore Adam Martin gives Myers an anchor in the No. 6 spot. The junior is 15-2, best on the team.

Youngsters Reid Dickert (a regular at No. 3 doubles), Alex Hattaway and Trevor Messinger have pushed the regulars hard. Then there’s No. 5 guy Kenny Cibik, whose improvement may be the most amazing story of all.

“I was pretty awful last year,” admits Cibik, who claims that his main contribution in ‘99 was flirting with waitresses on road trips.

He’s not terrible, now. He’s 14-3 in singles and even took a set from Myers recently.

“I practice a lot,” Cibik says. “Aaron and I play all day and all night.”

“We played in the snow once,” adds Post. “Wearing gloves and toboggans.”

“That’s the way these guys are,” confirms Myers. “We usually have regular practice until 5:30. Last year, at 5, the guys were ready to go. This year, they keep me out here until 8.”