The Girls Tennis team starts with a flare, defeating Payson

by Zachary Nemelka
SJHS Staff Writer

The team only had a couple of weeks to pick 18 girls for the Varsity and Junior Varsity tennis teams. Around 23 girls were competing for the single and double spots on the teams. The team only had a couple of weeks to prepare for a tough match against Payson’s tennis team, and they have a long season ahead. The girls have to play five tough matches and district playoffs as the other girls tennis teams are trying to get ahead of our girls tennis team.

As the girls prepare for these matches ahead, Coach Rice must compare them to past teams he has coached. “The team looks good. This is the most girls we’ve ever had on the team,” he said. He then explained that there are dedicated girls on the team. But the team doesn’t have some of the 8th grade girls who are now 9th graders. “Some of the girls on last years team would’ve really improved our team if they were on the team this year,” Coach Rice explained.

Coach Rice has some concerns about coaching. He is worried the courts are not in good enough condition. There are many chances of getting injured. “I tell my players that not every school has a grass court," Coach Rice said as he gestured to the abundance of weeds surrounding the court, "There are cracks, bumps, and glass on the courts.” If we decided to fix the courts we won’t end up with injured girls.

For the first couple of weeks in practice the team had challenge matches. They were trying to advance to a better ranking on the team. Coach Rice would watch the girls play and would give tips when he saw a place for improvement. He would also watch for players that had good sportsmanship, because tennis is a gentlemen’s sport where you are kind and courteous to your opponent and where you should always use proper etiquette on the court. After the girls finished the challenge matches, the team moved into drills and improving their techniques.

The reason Coach Rice decided to coach the girl’s team was because he played tennis when he was young, and he coached in California. “I also find it amusing the manner in which the girls get excited and celebrate simply for winning a point… after every point won. The guys don’t do that,” Coach Rice commented. He also enjoys helping people learn how to play something that they can do when they are older, not just in their youth. Coach Rice hopes that it will help them to be active, later in life not just now.