For the ‘Love’ of Tennis
January 25, 2012
In a world of high action football, fast paced lacrosse and nail biting basketball, it’s easy to forget the other sports; the games where diligence, accuracy, and precision are key components. These sports deserve their rightful vindication as well, and many insist that tennis is at the top of this list. Here at LHS, tennis is a popular sport within the student body during the spring season. Amidst the blooming flowers and warm afternoon rain, the Leonardtown co-ed tennis team rigorously practices in pursuit of the coveted SMAC title. “Practice is pretty intense. We condition a lot and work on our skills all the way through the season. It’s not super fun, but the hard work always pays off in the end. Hopefully we can win SMAC this year, along with my individual victories” Says senior Ashley Lytle. She, along with the rest of the team, holds an optimistic outlook regarding the 2012 team potential.
Coaches Mr. Cropper and Mr. Laurel, orchestrating a successful 13-1 season in 2011-2012, aim for this year to be one of the best. This past year, the team came 2nd in SMAC under Great Mills, losing a grueling match by a small number of points. This year will be focused on improvement, generally aiming to step up their game of doubles and focus on the fundamentals. Coming so close to the SMAC title last year, everyone’s keeping their fingers crossed for the extra mile to pay off in the upcoming season. With rivals of Great Mills and North Point being competitive as well, games are guaranteed to be stiff and crowd pleasing. So between the lacrosse games and track meets, make sure to give tennis a second look.