The Redwood boy’s tennis team has always been successful, but not a lot of people are aware of what goes on behind the scenes. Intense conditioning and daily practices are just some of the ways they are able to guarantee their success for the season.
By: Ben Newell
Wesley Ball, ’25, says, “Practice begins at four and normally goes until six thirty, making it a two and a half hour daily practice.” Ball has been a member of the Redwood tennis team since his freshman year. Ball says, “We are constantly playing practice matches, do drilling, and everything we can to put us in the best position for our competition.”
Noah Arellano, ’25, has been playing tennis for six years. Arellano says, “For practice, I go out after school and practice with my coach and my teammates.” Most athletes have pre game ritual to get them in the “zone” and Arellano is no different. He says, “Before a game, I usually listen to music that soothes me, it helps get me prepared for upcoming matches.”
Isaiah Largoza, ’25, has been playing tennis since his freshmen year. Largoza says,” (Before a game) I drink lots of water and make sure to have a good breakfast.” Largoza feels that by paying attention to what he puts in his body is make or break to the performance he puts out on game days. He explains that on a normal practice day, “ I usually practice forehands, backhands, rallies, volleys, etc. I try to stay pretty well rounded.”
Before an intense game, some players have pregame rituals and things they do that help them get ready and prepare for a game. Ball says,” I like to listen to music, I enjoy hyping myself up and kinda just getting ready to go. Because if I don’t then I’ll kinda get nervous.”
Tennis is known for being an incredibly independent and mental sport, but this has its own pros and cons. Arellano says, “I like the fact it is so individual, because I don’t have to rely on anyone but myself.” Largoza explains how he enjoys the more social aspect of the game. He says, “You can play a lot with friends, you can compete in doubles, it’s a lot of fun.”
Ball finishes by saying, “Tennis I would say is one of the hardest sports mentally because every shot is meaningful. But you just have to block that out and you just have to play your game and stay in the zone. And if you get in your head too much then you basically lost the game and it’s hard to recover. So tennis is hard enough but it’s really fun and it helps you grow mentally as well as physically.”
Ben Newell
Ben Newell loves writing and telling stories. Ben is creative and loves listening to the world around him. Newell is currently writing for the sports section
Tags: #athletics, #redwood, #sports, #tennis
This was a well written article. He addresses the psychological and physical aspects of the athlete’s preparation. Ben Newell’s work is a positive credit to Redwood’s sports.