Despite the restrictions that COVID-19 has provided for high school athletes, the men’s and women’s tennis teams proceed to persevere as they aim for the playoffs. 

Try-outs for both teams began during the first week of March. Although the standards and amount of members they were seeking remained the same, try-outs looked a little different compared to last season.

 Each participant was required to wear a mask, even while they were on court. With recent guidelines being modified though, athletes are now allowed to take their masks off during matches. 

Both tennis teams are advancing smoothly throughout their recent games. The men’s team has won 4 out of 6 games, and the women’s team is currently 4-0. Every match, the athletes are required to play one single and one double match.

The players must remain dedicated to the sport considering that practice is held Monday through Friday after school from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. The teams often play multiple games in a week, so they have to find ways to balance their schoolwork with competitions.

 In addition, women’s tennis coach, Keith Castillo explains, “Most of the players take some kind of a private lesson or attend clinics… some have a private coach or practice with other players, especially during the off-season.” The teams are also primarily composed of seniors. 

Despite their recent success, the players still strive to further improve their skills. Senior  Campbell Bueler mentions, “My goal is to win at least 75 percent of my matches and to win a playoff match.” Sophomore Avery Jones said, “I just want to get overall better… I really want to play in colleges, so hopefully I can contact some colleges to watch me play and just improve my game.”

Both teams have prevailed in their most recent games. The girls won their matches against Cibola, 9-0, and Casteel,8-1. The men’s team only played against Casteel, but they came out on top 5-4. The teams face Desert Vista on Wednesday, Mar. 31st, and Basha on Thursday, Apr. 1.

Furthermore, members from both teams agree that they do not just enjoy being on the team for the sport itself. The fellow players involved with the tennis program are a crucial influence on the overall atmosphere. Bueler added, “I like the other girls on the team… everyone is super friendly and nice.” 

Sophomore Weston Webb comments, “I like being on the tennis team because you get out of school sometimes and meet new people… It is competitive, but it does not have a super high risk of injury.” 

Each player’s personal goals differ slightly from one another, but they all share the same objective of making it to the playoffs. The players enjoy competing together as a team and continue to practice hard for their upcoming games.