Written By: Sakura Snyder, Staff Writer
PROMISING: Poly Boys’ Tennis team jump starts the season!
Poly’s tennis team is amazing indeed, due to an assortment of skilled people making up the group. Let’s take a look at their backgrounds, thoughts about being on the team, and overall aspirations!
Isaac Julian (10) joined the varsity team when he was only a freshman, alongside his brother Connor Julian (10). They started playing tennis when they were only “10 years old,” and have been playing ever since. Isaac expresses that he improved by “going to practices with other people at parks,” noting that he was not immediately good when he started. With hard work, he was able to become the athlete that he is now. Connor, too, proves to be an incredibly promising individual. He has one straight-forward goal for his team this season: “making it to quarterfinal CIFS.” Connor wants the team to beat their prior record from last year and making it to the quarterfinals would prove to be a huge difference.
Sailer Grant (12) began his tennis journey near the end of 8th grade. When joining a sport, it is incredibly important for there to be a force pushing you along the way— and for Grant, this force is the team itself. He believes that the Poly tennis team is “very inspirational,” and that his coach “motivates him.” Grant hopes that this year the team gets “W’s only.”
Mateen Sherafat (9) began playing at the end of 8th grade as well and is just as passionate about the sport. Sherafat likes that everyone in his team “gets along really well,” and he says that one of the biggest bonding points for them is when they “vibe with music in the bus.” Nicholas Val (10)—who has been playing since 5th grade— also thinks that music brings the team together. “Everyone has the same music taste,” he states. Val hopes that the team wins league this season.
Last but not least, Coach Nick Mateljan. Coach Mateljan started coaching at UCR in 1990, but then shifted to coaching high school level athletes later in his career. He has been the Poly tennis coach for 8 years. His favorite part of coaching is “seeing [his] players improve and the smiles on their faces when they see their [own] improvement.” The dedication that Coach Mateljen puts forth for the team is crystal clear.
Although the players on the Poly Boys tennis team have a variety of backgrounds they all share the common similarity of playing at Poly. With encouragement, team bonding, and hard work, these players make an admirable and ambitious team. Cheers to a great season, and record-breaking league champions!
The boys, pictured above, are hyping themselves up in the bus, ready to take on their next opponent.