Tennis prepares for Sectionals

Logan Connor

 

The boys tennis Sectional is only three days away.

Obviously when it gets close to tournament play everyone prepares differently,” senior Aidan Luttrell said. “We really have a tough Sectional with a ton of good competition.”

Every school has a big rival team. Those rivals motivate players to perform at a higher level.

“For us, it’s either Franklin or Whiteland,” Coach Jeremy Runge said. “They always have really tough teams. They are great competition and make us better. Playing those schools really motivates us to play better to be able to beat them. Beating them always feels good.”

Sectionals and postseason play bring a certain feeling of pressure to perform well. But for some athletes, they just see it as a normal match.

“Being in the Number One singles spot does bring some pressure to perform. I just try to focus on my game plan and stick to what I do best,” Luttrell said.

When Sectionals close in, coaches bring up the practice intensity expecting better play when it really matters.

“Our guys really bring it in practice all the time,” Coach Runge said. “This season’s practice intensity has been higher already than years past.”

Learning from past mistakes can improve a player’s ability.

“I really try to take mistakes and use them as a learning experience,” Luttrell said. “Every time something goes wrong in practice or a match, I try to move on and use it as something to help me improve instead of letting it drag me down.”

The postseason brings a new kind of mindset and mentally to the players and coaches alike.

“I really think there’s a difference in the preparation and mindset during Sectionals or tournaments,” sophomore Dominic Soubeih said. “We have brought up the intensity, and practices have been more serious. Everyone has been focused and locked in on having a successful Sectional.”