Game, Set, Match

For many students, taking part in a school sport is a terrific opportunity to get involved in their school and broaden their social circle. Multi-sport athlete, Maggie Hyland, is an example of this.

“I decided to play tennis because I wanted to participate in another sport. I love being active in our community and competing with different sports is a great way to get involved,” Maggie Hyland (9) said.

As a member of the girls varsity tennis team, Maggie began playing tennis at a young age. She has invested a lot of effort throughout practice by partaking in a range of challenge matches to guarantee her place on the court, despite her injuries this season.

“Athletes should attend Coach Ravenscraft's preseason training before trying out. It's a great way to get to know the team while also getting in a lot of extra practice,” Hyland (9) said.

The motivating factor for student athletes is balance. While participating in athletics, countless teenagers struggle to maintain decent grades and to be engaged in class, due to their extracurricular commitments. Balancing school life and sports is must to be eligible for school sports. Ohm Desai is an example of a balanced student athlete.

Being brought up in a family where tennis is highly regarded, Ohm started his tennis career in sixth grade.

“Off the court, I've managed to keep everything in its due time and place, such as sports and school. Which can be challenging at times, but I've grown to adjust and improve my time management.” Desai (9) said, “As a result, I've improved on the court by better controlling my serves and shots,” by leading the team in stolen bases (10) and doubles (2).

"[Leading with those stats] I feels really good, the season is only halfway over so there is a lot of work to still do so I am not satisfied," Andy Watters (11) said. "Our coach is really good and we have been winning more games this year, so far so good."

Jacob Bohacek, leads the team in strikeouts with a 0.5 run average. Carson Snipes and Alex Whiteside share the lead in field percentage of 0.971. The players believe that their work ethic and respect for one another allows them to push each other towards greatness.

“Coach Davis is great and he really has helped the team reach our goals,” Karsten Leibel (11) said.

The players feel good about the direction the new head coach is leading them in. They describe their coach as making a definite impact on them.

“The new coach is good, he has helped reshape our culture as a team, this includes our work ethic, mindset, and understanding of baseball," Mason Gazaway (10) said. "We are really competitive this year and are playing really well right now. The new coach is awesome and has rebuilt the culture of this program."

The community has noticed the improvement in the team, as the stands are filled with fans at every game. The baseball team has nine regular season games left, eight are region games while one is a non-region game. The next four upcoming games are at home against Hillgrove on March 30, away against Hillgrove on March 31, at home against Wheeler on Arpil 6, and at home against McEachern on April 8.

Addison Moreland Staff Writer

Since she was seven years old, tennis has been an important part in Kate Corr's life. She appreciates the sport for a multitude of reasons, but most notably for its strategic nature. Despite her weaknesses, Kate employs a variety of tactics when playing tennis to build on her own advantages and capitalize on those of her opponents. Her life has been largely shaped by tennis, and she frequently demonstrates this while representing her team on the court.

“Our team values giving it your all as an individual, but supporting your teammates in their matches is equally crucial,” Kate Corr (11) said.

As a devoted player for the girls varsity tennis team, she continues to give her all at both practices and games and she intends to play for the remainder of her high school career.

In a family with a rich history of tennis players, Ali Patrick is one of three women to partake in the sport. She began playing in fifth grade and has not ceased since. By boosting her overall mentality, tennis has helped her become more self-assured both on and off the court, which has benefited both her and her team.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Stay confident, even if you are having a hard day,” Ali Patrick (10) said.

Ali is a vital constituent of the Lady Blue Devils tennis team by fulfilling the role of a student athlete.