The green ball bounces as the match point is scored.
The Lady Chargers tennis team is gearing up for a new season and hoping it’s the best yet.
Tennis is often misunderstood as a simple game of casually hitting a ball back and forth, but as Liz Swift points out, that perspective couldn’t be further from the truth. “Tennis is harder to play than you think, because a lot of people are like ‘oh you’re just hitting a ball back and forth’ and I wish people would see the amount of effort they’d have to put into a sport to be as good as we are,” Swift said. Behind every rally is intense physical training, precise footwork, and countless hours of practice. Players must anticipate their opponent’s moves, reacting in a split second while also maintaining incredible endurance throughout the match. What may look effortless on the surface is actually hours of determination all gathered together in one match.
The anxiety when going onto the court knowing you need to score is incomparable. It’s hard to get up in front of that many people and know that if you miss, the crowd won’t be too happy, but the girls boost each other up enough that this anxiety becomes an afterthought. “I know a lot of people in order to be their best, you have to be there for them, so showing up for others, especially when they’re having a hard time playing.” Kadence Pataluna
“Our most valuable player is probably Natalie. She’s played tennis for a long time, and she’s really good. She gives us a lot of confidence going into tournaments.”- Kayleigh Davis
“I play each point like my life depends on it”. – Rafael Nadal
