So far this season, the tennis team has had successful outcomes at the tournaments they have attended, with multiple players winning matches. The team prepares for these meets with their coach Cory Parsons and has official practices Monday through Wednesday for one hour and volunteer practices on Thursday and Friday.

“As a part of the tennis team, I hope to encourage and support some of the younger players like some of the upperclassmen did for me my sophomore year,” senior Brandon Day said. “I also hope to slowly get in shape through tennis. And lastly, I hope to inspire non tennis players to give tennis a chance.”

Day started playing doubles with freshman Gavin Fountain on the boy’s varsity tennis team just this January for the school, but originally started playing with his family in December of his sophomore year. He feels as though tennis is like his second family by making him smile and turning his bad days into good ones. In a little over a month, Day can already see improvement in himself.

“My serves have improved the most,” Day said. “At the first tournament I went to, I didn’t know how to keep score or serve. Now, my serves are a lot better than they were and keeping score comes natural.”

Determined to win, senior Marcus Delarosa placed second in the Boy’s Singles tournament on Friday, Feb. 24. After taking advice from his friends, he began playing in eighth grade and has continued to enjoy the sport ever since. He practices every day with the exception of a few days since he has enlisted in the army. Instead of practicing tennis on some days,  he works out with people that are joining the army as well.

“Professionally I don’t think I’ll be playing tennis,” Delarosa said. “I enlisted in the army for three years and after that I want to be a police officer.”

Also involved in band, Key Club, U.I.L. Ready Writing, and the Bear Truth, sophomore Julia Iles plays on the JV Girl’s tennis team with her partner Chrisleigh Longlois. Iles recently moved here last year and wanted to be involved with the school. She has played since she was five years old and enjoys tennis so she knew it was definitely the logical choice. She can surely tell that she has progressed in her skills than when she first started playing. She is currently working on improving her serves and her racket angle.

“Chrisleigh and I have done fairly well,” Iles said. “We have won our first match most every tournament and hope to excel further. Each tournament we set a goal for ourselves and are seeing progress as we work towards these goals.”