Right at the onset of a new season for girls tennis, the team struggled to find their footing. With difficulty finding a win in their first games, they have gained hope of getting back into the swing of things with their recent first victory of the season.

Before the beginning of the new school year, the team held practice and training for all returning players during the month of July, where they did conditioning and practiced drills. Tryouts for the team were during the first week of the school year.

“It is the beginning of a new year, and we have only played two matches, but we are working hard,” head coach Sergio Navarro said. “We have faced some difficult opponents, but I am excited for our upcoming preseason games.”

The team first played against Beckman where they suffered a tough loss, and played against Ayala, against whom they lost 8-10. Their most recent game was at Rodeo Roundup against Chino High School which they won 10-8. 

Despite the team having a negative record, Navarro has high hopes for this year, and their win at Rodeo Roundup has certainly helped boost team morale. He believes that the team has what it takes to go far during the remainder of the season. 

“We also have plans to have more bonding experiences this year so that the girls can relax,” Navarro said.

The first of these bonding experiences took place after the Rodeo Roundup game where he had all the players hang out together in his classroom.

“We have a lot of great players who are talented and work hard. But if I had to highlight someone, it would be freshman Chioma Okwandu,” Navarro said. “Chioma has been an amazing addition to our team this year. She works hard, she’s mentally tough, and I’m so excited to watch her grow as a tennis player.”

Navarro restated that he and the team are working very hard to get the momentum needed to continue doing well, and that he maintained his high hopes for the rest of the season. 

In the coming weeks the team will play against El Dorado and South Hills on Sep. 9 and Sep. 22, respectively. 

In addition, the team will have a home game against Walnut on Sep. 27.