As another season of Tennis at Wichita South High begins, there is much effort going towards increasing skill.
As the team captain, Kenyon Shelton is committed, and when asked about his journey as a player, he says it was almost an accident. “Miss Westbrook was desperate for players and I figured, why not? I joined and fell in love with it,” Now two and a half years later, he has built close friendships with those within the team. When asked what sets South apart from other schools, he pointed to communications and connection: “Some teams just don’t talk to each other. We try to be different, we build each other up.”
Joining the team this year is one freshman, Marlon Boyd, who told people interested in joining next year to just go for it. “Its a fun sport, and you can even get college scholarships out of it.” He said.
Junior Ernesto Mena says he first joined to support his girlfriend, but has since found a close group of friends. “Its almost like a brotherhood…We help each other stay motivated and we don’t let each other slack.” An example of team member’s dedication is Mena’s determination to practice over spring break and improve his serve.
Another junior, Valin Medlin, had similar things to say. “Westbrook was my sister’s TItan Time teacher, and so she already knew who I was. She recommended me and now I’ve been playing for two years,” He shared that he made his goal for the season to get at least two wins. “Tennis is the only sport I could really see myself playing.”
However, the team would not run as smoothly without the managers helping behind the scenes. Senior, Zoe Washington and junior, Yazlyn De la Torre have both experienced both playing and managing, which helps both of them to understand the needs of the players. “We get the equipment out, fill up water, and make sure things stay on track.” Yazlyn shared part of their daily routine.
The driving force behind the tennis program at South High is the philosophy shared by Coach Westbrook:“Come with an open mind, be coachable, and I’ll teach you the rest.” This message can be empowering and even reassuring for students trying the sport for the first time and those just wanting to improve.
For future seasons, the South High Boys Tennis program hopes to see more people at tryouts and more support for the team. With all the chaos of events and late work cut offs, hardworking individuals can get swept under the rug.
