Written By: Sakura Snyder, Staff Writer
EXCITING: The Boys Tennis team sweeps through their league while holding high expectations for the future.
The spring season marks an exciting time for many teams at Poly, in which they all play their hearts out, the Boys Tennis team shining on this list. As consecutive league champions from previous years, and a current league score of 7-0, the boys have no doubt that they will move onto CIF after defeating teams along the way. When asked about the level of competition that the team is currently facing, Connor Julian (11) replied with no hesitation that they “are dominating the league.” Because the team has been having “easy matchups,” Julian and several others on the team are confident that they will have positive outcomes regarding their games in the future.
Coach Mateljan seems to have a similar consensus to Julian. As an individual with many years of experience in the field, Coach Mateljan believes that his current team at Poly is having a “fantastic season.” Once they indubitably reach the realm of CIF, where the boys rank top 10 in Division 3, Mateljan’s main goal for the boys is to “play the best tennis possible.” As they move on from less difficult opponents and onto more challenging ones, Mateljan wants to push the team to their full potential, which is critical for the team overall.
Though practice and conditioning definitely contributes to the boys success in their matches, it is also important to consider how the team environment plays a critical role. Dalen Poulson (12) believes that because “the team[mates are] motivating each other” to play their best in games, the team dynamic naturally becomes a positive atmosphere for players to grow. Ryan Peterson (11) also adds that the “players have big connections with each other.” A great team chemistry not only creates strong bonds, but strong players too, as shown through the Boys Tennis team.
No matter the outcome, the Boys Tennis team will continue to live on as an exceptional representation of Poly culture and pride. By playing hard and creating strong connections, the team demonstrates great sportsmanship and personality for the school. We wish them good luck for the rest of their season, with hopefully more championships to come!