John Nwachuku, a 1981 Bennett graduate, was All High 1st singles in tennis as a freshman and then as a sophomore at Burgard High School. After transferring to Bennett High School for his junior and senior years he again made All High first singles in tennis both years. This accomplishment borders on the miraculous. As far as is known no local Buffalo High School tennis star has ever accomplished this feat of being the number one Buffalo high school tennis player for four years in a row. Nwachukwu, who was and still is built like a body builder, relied on his punishing and powerful ground strokes to completely over power his opponents. “I owe a great amount of my success in tennis to Hank Banas, my tennis coach at Burgard, and Brian Vickery, my tennis coach at Bennett.” Nwachukwu was also instrumental in developing his brother Ross who became one of the greatest tennis players in WNY history. For the past 34 years he has been a hero as a Buffalo fireman. He has has three children that he is very proud of. They are: Noah 23, Michael, 18, and Tiffany 16.
Jerry Carp starred at Bennett High School in tennis in 1955-56. In 1956 he teamed up with Charlie Garfinkel at first doubles to go undefeated in 10 straight matches and achieved Hall High honors. he was part of the only Buffalo High school tennis team to ever go 5-0 in 11 straight matches; with every player on the starting team achieving All High honors. Jerry went on to play tennis at Penn State from 1959-1960 and was team captain in 1960.
Although his post college tennis career has been limited to local and regional tournaments he achieved a monumental feat of reaching the National Men’s Open Singles finals in 1974 in the American Tennis Association Championships.
After graduating from SUNY Law School in 1963 he now resides in New York City where he continues to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Florida specializing in trust and estates, tax planning and fiduciary litigation.
Tennis runs in his family. His wife Ellen, whom he met on a tennis court, played for the University of Miami’s women’s tennis team; one of the strongest teams in the country. Jerry is also the father of Dylan and Jordan. both of whom live in San Francisco, and play recreational tennis.
Jerry was also an outstanding musician who played the oboe in high school.In New York, he has played as the principle oboist in numerous community and civic orchestras throughout the New York city area. He has also acted as counsel for many of the orchestras he has played in, doing so on a volunteer basis.
Carla was the consummate scholar / athlete, the kind every coach would want on his or her team. A four year volleyball player, Carla was a team captain and team MVP twice. The Lady Tigers won one city championship and two second place finishes during this time. Bennett’s cumulative record during Carla’s tenure was 43 wins and 5 losses.
Carla was even more successful in swimming, her strongest sport. Carla was an All-High swimmer in at least one event all four of her years on the squad, with the Tigers winning two Syracuse Cup championships during that time. Carla finished with six school swimming records and two city records in the 100 yard Individual Medley and the 200 yard Freestyle Relay.
Carla didn’t waste her spring seasons either. She played three years of varsity tennis, with the Tigers winning the Dr Bapst city championship all three of those years. Carla was an All-High first doubles player.
Carla earned a Rochester National Scholarship to the University of Rochester. There she was the only freshman to start on the U. of R. volleyball team. Carla later received a BS degree in Computer Science from S.U.N.Y. Buffalo, and an MA degree from Clark University in Massachusetts. She is presently employed by Avocent Corporation as their Mid West Sales Director.
Carla and her husband, Michael Bankovich, reside in Cleveland, OH, and have three daughters, Francesca 16, Arianna 12, and Nina age 8.
Valerie was another year round three sport athlete at Bennett. Val ran Cross Country in the fall for three years, swam the backstroke on the Swim team for four years and a four year Tennis player in the spring. The last three years of Tennis Valerie was team captain and girls MVP at the 1st singles position. She was also an All-High Tennis selection in her senior year. Valerie’s leadership is evident as she also became team captain on her Cross Country and Swimming teams.
Aside from all this activity and success in athletics, Valerie found time to become involved with the International Club, AFS, Math Team, Harbinger, and yearbook staff. Valerie was also a member of the National Honor Society and Salutatorian of her class. Perhaps her greatest achievement in high school was her award at graduation for 4 years of perfect attendance.
Valerie is a graduate of Elmira College. Now married, she works as a message therapist in her home town of Canton, Georgia.
Howard Rein was born and raised in Buffalo. He attended school 66 and Bennett HS. During Rein’s years at Bennett, he maintained good grades, was photography editor of the Bennett Beacon yearbook, President of the Key Club, and spent four years on the swimming and tennis teams.
Tennis was his passion. Rein was first team All-High at second doubles as a sophomore, first doubles as a junior, and second singles as a senior. He compiled an outstanding career record of 33 wins and only 1 loss during his high school career. Rein was also team captain and team MVP. After high school Rein attended UB as a pre- pharmacy major, however he and Chemistry 101 did not connect. Rein transferred to SUNY Binghamton , where he graduated from the school of Management with a BS degree in accounting.
Rein has practiced public accounting for 35 years, and is a senior partner in the firm: Freed Maxick and Battaglia. He is a certified Public accountant, certified fraud examiner, and President of Freed Maxick ABL Services, providing specialized audit service delivery to banks and financial institutions. Freed Maxick is the largest independent accounting firm in WNY with over 240 employees.
Rein is the proud father of 3 adult children: Jason, Andy and Katie, and has been happily married over 32 years to his wife Marge, also a tennis player whom he met in college. His wife and children have endured every imaginable Bennett HS story, listening politely to his high school pranks, schemes and past exploits.
