Waking up at 5:30am or even earlier to ride a yellow school bus while it is still pitch black outside. Wearing multiple layers to protect themselves from the frigid climate. Whenever classes start at 7:30 a.m., they are outside in the elements battling the first of many opponents they will have to face that day. The varsity tennis team is the first to enter the 830 parking lot and usually the last to leave as all-day and two-day tournaments start in January.

On Friday and Saturday, January 27-28, the varsity tennis team will make their spring season debut at the Humble Varsity Invitational. The players will have to battle opponents as well as the elements, but it comes with a great sense of accomplishment to those who participate.

“I’m looking forward to playing and hopefully winning a lot of matches,” junior Brayden Leinweber said. “I want to win a lot of medals with my doubles partner and be the best on the court I can be.”

Playing tennis for up to 12 hours gives players the time to get to know each other better.

“I’m excited about getting to hang out with friends,” senior Nikolai Lugo said. “It is always a good time playing tennis with friends.”

These spring tournaments allow for players to even make friends with people from other schools.

“The thing I look forward to in the spring season is hanging out with some of my best friends,” senior Rohan Patel said. “We also get to meet up with some of our friends from other schools.”

With an almost brand new varsity team, upperclassmen that have been on the team have the opportunity to make friends with new people that they might not have gotten to know before.

“I am ready to make memories with a new set of friends,” senior Emma Baron said. “It will be a lot of fun to get to know more people on the team.”