With no returning seniors, rebuilding is the key word around the
girls tennis team to open the 2011 season. Instead of senior
leaders, the girls team will rely on a trio of juniors who have
been involved in the program since they were freshman.
With no returning seniors, rebuilding is the key word around the girls tennis team to open the 2011 season. Instead of senior leaders, the girls team will rely on a trio of juniors who have been involved in the program since they were freshman.
Despite the young status and lower expectations, head coach Ed Cecena hopes for a good showing from his single players which will be led juniors Audrey Marshall, Ally Triolo and Annie Tobias.
And the trio of girls have no issues with becoming the young team’s leaders.
“We are very spirited,” Triolo said. “We are going to have fun.”
And that’s the ultimate goal for the three captains. They want the team to be loose and have fun – and hopefully still win.
But winning isn’t the ultimate goal in the 2011 season because of the youth of the squad.
“We are strong enough to be competitive but I just don’t see us strong enough to win the championship,” Cecena said.
Hopefully, experienced gained in the new season will carry into upcoming years for the 21 players.
“We don’t have a lot of experience but we will get that this year,” he said.
And the captains know about the tough task ahead of them.
“We are the most experienced,” Tobias said, referring to the three captains. “For us, it’s not going to be to go win TCALs this year. It’s hard to expect that.”
So the team will try to bring their teammates closer together for communal support. The captains hope to create get-together to establish a team rapport.
“Even though it’s an individual sport it’s important to have your teammates support,” Marshall said.
To create team unity, the team will play music during practice, Triolo said.
“I’ve always practiced with music so we want to do that here,” she said.
With a young team, it’s important to have as much fun as possible.
“It needs to be fun,” Tobias said.
And with a season that could have it’s up and downs, relieving pressure is a positive thing, Cecena said.
“This is a rebuilding year,” he said, “but we are going to develop.”
Without senior leaders, the team is missing players that would have carried them throughout the season. Instead, Cecena will rely the maturation of younger players. But in the long run – next season – the year of experience will only make them better.
In 2011, the team will face depth issues that will ultimately hurt its double pairs, Cecena said.
“We need a lot of development in the doubles so we need our singles to be good,” Cecena said.
The team will open the season on Sept. 1 when they host Aptos High at Ridgemark Golf and Country Club.
