This school year, the girls’ tennis team experienced a change in their coaching staff. Coach Jake Colledge is a first year coach for the team. He had played tennis in high school and never lost contact with his team. He stayed involved with the program, assisting at clinics and volunteering throughout the season. When the tennis team was in need of a coach season, he was the first one to step up and help the team.

“I’ve always loved it [tennis],” Colledge said. “For the last 10 years I’ve been around it. I’ve been around the entire tennis program, from player, to volunteer, to tennis coach. I love working with the individuals that we have on the team, they are great to be around. Coaching is an extension of the classroom, being able to provide support and build rapport with players just like you would build rapport in the classroom. It’s a great group of girls. It is just an awesome experience to put the wins and losses to the side, and it’s just a great team to be around. They make going to practice and matches something to look forward to.”

Stepping into the role of head coach is different from being a volunteer. For Colledge; however, he has already been around all of the players and team members for years now, so it was not too much of a change.

“To be honest, the only difference is just all of the administrative work to take care of. I’m still at practices, I’m still at matches, helping with player development, technique, trying to get our girls better,” Colledge said. “The only change is making sure everything behind the scenes is taken care of.”

For players, the coaching change was an adjustment. A new coach means a new perspective on the game.

“It is very different with a new coach, but we are changing and learning new ways to play the game,” freshman Isabella Graham said.

“It feels a little bit different since I was used to Coach Hovan,” junior Katie Hovan said. “It’s definitely a change, but I think it’s a good one. It feels weird since we have different instructions, different approaches, but it’s just different ways to have fun.”

The tennis team has a record of 10-3 this season.

“The season is going well, we’ve played a lot of matches against a wide variety of different opponents,” Colledge said.

The players have expressed their satisfaction with how the season is going.

“I think we are doing very well, the girls on the team are really close and it helps us play really well together,” Graham said

The fall tennis season is not yet over. While most of the home and away matches for the high school are done, Districts are just beginning.

“My favorite part of the season is coming up and that’s Districts,” Colledge said. “Playoffs are where what you work for the entire offseason really counts. It shows who has put the time in and it’s where the season really starts or matters. The District title is always the goal.”