As the spring sports season comes to a close, the girls’ tennis team reflects on their performance as a team. The team has participated in many games and have won several including matches against Medford and Lawrence. The captains this year included Senior, and Blue and Gold member, Emma Ceplinskas and Senior Sushan Chen. A new coach was brought to the team this year: Julie Fox, coaching sixteen players varying in grade.
This was Fox’s first year coaching Malden High School’s girls’ tennis team. “Being a new coach,” Fox says, “it’s been a balance between keeping what worked for [the team] and what they liked from last year and introducing some things.” It seems the team has adapted well to the new coach. Fox “[works] with them and sees where they’re at to see what they’re interested in getting better at.” Coach Fox credits tennis as being an “individual game”, but cites they have “team goals” however, “it’s [important to] work with each individual player.”
Players recognize their strengths and weaknesses this season as they plan to improve and continue to use the strategies that have worked well for them this year. Players also recognize their own improvements and pride themselves in it, such as Junior Emily Zou who believes she “improved a lot over the season.”
The team sees room for improvement regarding strategy and team-bonding. Junior Yuki Cheung thinks that as a team, they “did pretty well, but there [were] certain games that [they] could’ve done better at.” Zou hopes “[her] hits improve and [she] just wants to get to know [her] teammates even more, with more bonding.” Cheung strives to improve her “forehand, backhand, and some serves as well.”
Coach Fox sees the great improvements in both teams, JV and Varsity, that they have made over the season: “[The team has] come so far from where [they] were in the beginning of the season. Especially [the] JV players have gotten so much better. [...] The varsity players, have worked hard. [...] They work really well together, so [she thinks] their dedication furthered their improvement.”
Several matches and practices had to be canceled over the season, due to weather-related issues. The team hasn't “had very many practices, but they love to hit,” says Fox. “After matches they stick around and hit with each other. It’s awesome to see.”
The girls’ Tennis team has had an amazing season this year, and will continue to aim for their most superlative outcomes, as they continue to work hard and stay motivated.
