On a fresh start to their season, the Diamond Bar High School boys tennis team opens strong with an undefeated record of 9-0.
This year marks the first year the team competes at the CIF Division 1 level, the highest level of competition available for high school sports in California. To bring its members up to par, the team is currently prioritizing the development and training of their players. The team has also recently changed things up in their varsity selection process to make sure that every player on the team is the best possible option.
“This year we introduced the ‘challenge’ system, where a JV player, who was the MVP of a previous match, is able to challenge a varsity player to a match,” sophomore Dao Lam said. “If they win, they take the varsity player’s spot and send the varsity player back to JV. This ensures we have the most optimal roster against whichever school we face.”
The team has also modified their training schedule to better prepare for their first Division 1 season.
“We are going through more rigorous training and trying to fit in as many matches as possible,” freshman Russell Kuo said. “This will ensure we are sufficiently prepared for the remainder of our season.”
Notably, the team defeated Walnut High School on March 12 with a comfortable score of 13-5, marking their 32nd consecutive victory against them.
However, due to last year’s large graduating senior group, the team found itself full of many capable, but inexperienced players who are having trouble adjusting to the team environment and adopting a good mentality.
“We are a young team that consists of almost fifty percent freshmen,” boy’s tennis head coach Jay Bala said. “The talent is there, but molding them together as a team is the toughest part. We are growing as a team and figuring out our strategies.”
These changes in the varsity selection process and training have molded the team’s optimistic but serious view of the rest of the season and the playoffs.
“Our preseason and regular season has gone well so far, and we are confident in winning another league title,” senior captain Matthew Su said. “Although it’s not likely we will win CIF this year, we will definitely still try the best that we can.”
The Brahmas are set to face South Hills High School again in their next match on Apr. 18.
