By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Anyone who has a sibling knows it's nearly impossible to get along ALL the time, especially when you're together ALL the time, and Topeka West twin brothers Ian and Miles Cusick admit there's been instances where they haven't always necessarily been on the same page this spring as doubles partners for West's tennis team.
But those times have been far outweighed by an impressive run of success by the sophomore pair, who rolled to the No. 1 doubles championship in last Thursday's city meet at the Kossover Tennis Center, helping lead Kurt Davids' Chargers to their first city team crown.
Topeka West sophomore twin brothers Miles Cusick (left) and Ian Cusick have put together a banner season in doubles this season, winning the No. 1 city title and helping lead the Chargers to the team crown. [File photo/TSN]
"I think we try to get along well,'' Miles Cusick said. "There's some times it's a little bit tougher than others, but I think we definitely manage it very well. That's obviously one of the things we've worked on is making sure we're communicating with each other.
"If we get mad it doesn't help the team and there's nothing you can really do about it. Just get rid of it.''
Ian Cusick agreed there are challenges at times, but he said he feels he and Miles are growing as a doubles team, and brothers.
"Sometimes it's actually really hard to play with him because we're brothers and we have that bond, but you're more comfortable so it's easier to get mad at him,'' Ian Cusick explained. "You can't brush it off like you would with someone you're not as close with.
"We have lost a couple of hard matches this season and you get a little upset, but we're definitely getting closer.''
And Ian said the bottom line is he relishes the chance to have his brother as his playing partner.
"It's great playing with him,'' Ian said.
The Cusicks had posted an 18-6 record through the city tournament after Davids made the decision to pair Ian and Miles together in their first year of high school tennis.
"We both started playing tennis the summer before sixth grade and we've done a couple of tournaments, but now is our first real serious playing time together,'' Miles Cusick said.
"This is the year we actually started playing together a lot and doubles is definitely my favorite,'' Ian said. "I think Miles maybe likes both even, but I think I'm better at doubles.''
Topeka West's Miles Cusick returns a shot in last Thursday's city tennis tournament while his twin brother, Ian, stands by. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Miles and Ian are scheduled to compete in Monday's Centennial League tournament at Kossover and Miles said he feels like he and his brother continue to improve.
"I think you could see it (Thursday) in the finals,'' Cusick said. "We played these guys (Washburn Rural's Nick Luetje and Mason Casebeer) and I think we won either 8-6 or 8-5 towards the beginning of the season and (this time) we beat them 8-1, so (experience has) definitely helped us.''
Davids has first-hand experience in coaching siblings, with his sons, Austin and Andrew, posting third and second-place Class 5A state doubles finishes in 2010 and '11.
The West coach said the Cusicks have a lot of the same qualities on the court that his sons exemplified and have a bright future.
"It's a good natural fit, even if they weren't brothers.''
