Girls tennis steps up game

Meagan Ford
October 3, 2014

Senior Elyssa Gorospe lines up a shot during a Birmingham Community Charter High School Tennis practice. Photo by Jake Dobbs
Senior Elyssa Gorospe lines up a shot during a Birmingham Community Charter High School Tennis practice.
Photo by Jake Dobbs
Varsity player Elyssa Gorospe prepares for her opponent's serve during a game. Photo by Jake Dobbs
Varsity player Elyssa Gorospe prepares for her opponent’s serve during a game. Photo by Jake Dobbs

 

After a lackluster season last year, Birmingham’s Lady Patriots tennis team is looking forward to a season of improvement.

“This season, I feel very optimistic,” varsity player Gorospe said.

For Elyssa Gorospe, the 2014 sports season is already shaping up to be significantly better than last year, where the Lady Patriots failed to win a single game.

According to head coach Todd McGauley, the 2013 season was a “regrowth year,” with a big influx of beginning players forcing the team to focus on fundamentals rather than technique. This year, McGauley has focused more on strategy and team-building.

While improved cooperation may have increased morale, winning has made a bigger impact.

“We won. That’s a big deal too,” Gorospe said.

The Lady Patriots have won their first two preseason games against John F. Kennedy High School by a score of 5-2 and the other versus Eagle Rock by a score of 4-3.

The girls tennis season started Tuesday Sept. 30.

“We have the potential to make an impact this year,” McGauley said.