In honor of the Fall 2024 Athletic season coming to a close, it is important to reflect on Hun’s best athletic moments. One of Hun’s greatest offerings for athletic experiences is preseason, a series of practices and activities that take place before the official season even starts. In Girls’ tennis, preseason is the foundation of their team spirit.
One senior player, Sofia Martinez, stated that preseason “gets the team to bond and get to know each other before the season, and that forms a bond that lets us rely on each other during the season when playing tough matches or even when we’re just having a bad day. I don’t think we’d be able to form that connection without preseason.”
Although tennis is generally known as a solitary sport, the support from teammates is crucial to a player’s success. In the 2024 preseason, the girls experienced numerous opportunities to get to know each other.
One ninth grade player remarked, “I really enjoyed that rainy day when we got to watch the U.S. Open together. Even if we’re just sitting together watching something, I still feel like we’re connecting and that’s what really matters.”
Despite a couple of unfortunate rainy days, the girls were still able to make the most of their time together by participating in indoor activities, such as Pictionary and watching the U.S. Open!
Co-captain Lauren Davis stated, “I love that I get to be around my tennis team and spend a lot of quality time with them. I enjoy being on campus early and easing into the school year. Without preseason, I don’t think I would’ve had this much fun this year on the team.”
Even as a leader of the activities, Lauren still managed to make the most of her time bonding with the girls and making new friends. Though this season was tough for the girls’ tennis team, they are feeling more bonded than ever thanks to the incredible 2024 preseason.
“I remember being really nervous at the start of the season because I didn’t even know anyone. But as I started to do more team bonding activities and go to lunch with the other girls, I knew that this sport was the right choice for me,” said one ninth grade player.
While it is crucial for existing members of the tennis team to feel at ease in their community, it is even more important to welcome the new players. This year specifically, the team is composed of many new faces who were incredibly eager to step into this new environment of high school tennis. By inviting the girls to sit at lunch and including them in each of the team bonding activities, they are becoming more and more confident on the team. With more confidence in themselves comes better performance. It is very exciting to see budding players feel a part of a new team and ease into the system.
It is safe to say that the 2024 preseason was a positive experience for Hun girls’ tennis and that it continues to inspire students to feel empowered and included at Hun in their athletic endeavors. Go Raiders!
