Tennis travels to Galveston to better prepare for district play

Not only does the game of tennis have a physical toll on the player, the mental game is what makes or breaks an athlete’s match. Tennis is a very mental game, strategizing against their opponent and preparing for what their next move will be. These young athletes can win or lose a match before the game even begins.

On Sept. 9, 2022, the varsity tennis team traveled to Galveston for a weekend tournament against tough opponents outside of their district, helping these athletes to prepare themselves better for the rest of their district play. 

Competing the way these athletes did against College Park will prepare them for the tournament in Galveston. 

“I feel like we competed well against College Park,” Coach Garry Kemp said. “Even though we did not win the match, many of our players played some of the best tennis they had ever played in their previous matchups with other teams.” 

The team is preparing for the heat and getting pumped up for the tournament. 

“We are still trying to get acclimated to the heat,” senior captain Blaine Eckert said. “Galveston is going to be very humid and it is important to stay hydrated so we can outlast the other team. I am also looking forward to having more fun with the team, but it’s also a chance to have a little bit of fun at the beach.” 

Although the team graduated seniors last year, this year’s group of seniors have been stepping up to the plate. 

“We graduated a lot of players last year and that gave an opportunity for many players this year to play their varsity matches,” Kemp said. “We have good leadership with our current seniors and our younger players have stepped up this year to fill in the spots that were open on varsity.” 

Mental preparation and excitement for this tournament brings a sense of determination to the team. 

“The team prepared for their Galveston trip by first getting mentally prepared,” junior Lauren Carlson said. “And also practicing everytime we could and giving out everything to get better. Just getting to go on a trip with the team is amazing. Like how exciting is that?” 

Team bonding and supporting each other leads teams to more victories than if they were to compete without it. 

“The most exciting part of the Galveston trip was seeing our players bond while playing teams from the Galveston area,” Coach Kemp said. “Seeing us support each other through our matches. We lost our first round match in a very close contest 8-11 but then came back on Saturday and played really well and won against Dickinson and La Porte.”