Coach fired after arrest

After two alcohol-related arrests in the last two months, Mark Keil was fired from his position as IU men's assistant tennis coach late last week. He was hired Aug. 5 of this year by the IU Athletic Department.\nAssistant media relations director Gavin Lang confirmed the firing Thursday, saying Keil had "violated the University's code of conduct."\nKeil said that he is fighting the University's decision.\n"I'm going to appeal the decision," Keil said. "Hopefully, I'll be able to resume coaching."\nKeil was fired after his latest arrest on Sept. 23 for residential entry near his apartment at the Dunn Hill apartment complex on East 17th St. He said that he will appear in court next week for that arrest. The Bloomington Police Department's report of the incident said it occurred while Keil was intoxicated.\nKeil was also arrested on Aug. 18, just 13 days after being hired as coach, for public intoxication near the intersection of 10th and Forest streets by the IU Police Department.\nThe 35-year-old former professional tennis player said he was not surprised by the firing, but that the incidents occurred as a result of his medically-diagnosed bipolar disease.\n"It was all due to my mental illness," Keil said. "And I used alcohol to try to beat it. I couldn't drink one or two beers. I had to drink 30."\nKeil, who just retired last year from playing doubles on the world's top tennis tour, the ATP tour, said he is both on medication and going to therapy to try to combat his illness.\n"I was off medicine for about four or five years," Keil said. "I thought (the medicine) took away my edge on the court."\nInstead, he said, he used alcohol as a replacement for his medicine.\nAlso, while he was off his medicine, Keil made a documentary in 2001 entitled Beyond the Baseline, in cooperation with fellow ATP tour player Geoff Grant.\nThe video's goal was to show a behind-the-scenes look at life as a professional tennis player.\n"It will be a "backstage" look at all the top players as they really are," Grant said in an online interview with www.rowztennis.com. "Mark Keil has filmed 100 hours with his mini-digital Sony video recorder."\nSome of the content in the film included top American player Andre Agassi saying, "Sex doesn't interfere with your tennis. It's staying out all night trying to find it."\nBut Keil claims that he's gotten over his alcoholism.\n"I feel much better now that I'm back on my medication. I'm going to therapy now for five hours a day, five days a week," Keil said. "I'm taking two college classes as well. I'm a junior right now and I'd like to get my degree.\n"I wasn't surprised at the firing. But I'm sad. I was just starting to get into a groove with the players. I like the Hoosiers. I think that they have a chance to be really good. And I like the city of Bloomington."\nKeil says that in order to support himself financially during the appeal process he is teaching individual tennis lessons.\n"It was my fault," Keil acknowledged. "But it was all due to my mental illness. I'm a nice guy"