Feature Photo By: Salmata Soulemane – Seniors Mohamed Al-Jarah and Kent Ho warm up for the tennis team’s first home game against Smoky Hill High School. The team has played four games, which have all ended in losses.
It’s about that time again! The Rangeview boys varsity tennis team is hitting the courts.
This season, the tennis team has new coaches: math teacher and head coach Jake Larson and physics teacher Nathan Trautenberg. The team will have to adjust to new coaching styles and develop skills that are taught by the two.
“My coaching style, especially for our guys, is to make sure that we’re having fun,” stated Larson.
Along with fun, the coaches are working towards improvement.
“I want to help them get better, so myself and Mr. Trautenberg have played lots of tennis,” Larson said. “…tennis is a skill that takes a lot of time and lots of little helpful hints and tricks.”
When it comes down to individual players, a few have their own personal goals, like sophomore Kaleb Negussie.
“My main goal is to improve as a player, I specifically want to improve my serve.” Negussie continued on to say, “The team as a whole is showing that public schools have a chance against schools with more funding.” The Raiders are on a mission to not only to win games, but to prove themselves as fit contenders this season too.
Tennis fan and sophomore Cole Heiken says, “I hope they get better and successful.”
The team overall is going into the season with positive mindsets and goals that will challenge them to work hard, they say. In the previous 2017-18 season, the team’s overall standings were 5-3 and league standings were 3-0. Thus far, the team has had four matches that have unfortunately ended in loses. A game against Cherokee Trail High School, happened to end 6-0.
“With the team, I just hope that they get to become better tennis players. For a lot of them it is an opportunity to play with their friends and be outside and play a great sport, so if I can help them become better tennis players, then I feel like I’ve done my job,” states Larson.
The Raiders have many games ahead of them. While the season is still young these players have plenty of time to improve as a team.
There is a match today, September 5th, against Far Northeast at 4:00pm at Rangeview. To stay updated with future matches, click here.
