As Columbus begins to thaw, the Blue Waves tennis team will open its 10-match season at 4 p.m. Feb. 15 against South Pontotoc at the MUW Garrett Tennis Courts.
The Blue Waves have been practicing consistently. However, recent weather hasn’t made it easy. A weeklong hard freeze in January halted practices for a week. Despite this, coach Troy King said he is confident in the team’s abilities thanks to recent practices.
“One thing about the team: We gotta put in the time. It’s not an easy sport, so we’ve been working hard three days out of the week,” King said.
Senior Iris Xue, who captains the Goen squad, said the team members have been eager to practice despite their busy schedules. Although players sometimes have to miss practice to prioritize their academics, Xue said they’re putting their all into the sport.
As a result, Xue said the team is getting stronger by the day.
“I’m pretty confident right now. We might be varying a little in our skill levels, but I think we can truly bring ourselves to the level we need by the first match,” Xue said. “I’ve seen a lot of improvement so far, and I can’t wait to see how much we improve before the season begins.”
In practices, the Blue Waves have been getting to know each others’ play styles. With juniors significantly outnumbering seniors, teammates have been establishing dynamics and chemistry between classes.
Senior Sai Narla, who serves as the Frazer team’s captain, said getting the seniors back into the groove was fun, but watching the juniors learn their way around the MSMS tennis courts has been even more rewarding.
“We’ve been getting back into our form and learning how to play with each other better. Most of our team is new, but we are just really dedicated and really excited for our first match,” Narla said.
Junior Adair Gaines said she is particularly excited for the upcoming season. Although it’s different from what she was used to at her old school, Gaines said she’s enjoyed the challenge of playing with a new team.
“You know, it’s a new team, new coaches. I’m still trying to feel everybody out, but I’m excited overall,” Gaines said.
