As winter sports come to a close and begin post-season playoffs, spring sports are beginning. While the Naples High tennis team prepares for its upcoming season, predictions and goals for the athletes and coaches arise.

The NHS tennis team has been conditioning their athletes since the end of the fall sports season. Beginning with the try-outs for the team during December and January, the best athletes and tennis players were selected for the 2022 spring tennis season.

“Our conditioning and practice is going well,” freshman tennis player Karl Ghorayeb said. “We start with warmups everyday leading into drills practicing situations like at the net and cross court as well as practicing singles and doubles.”

The first tennis match of the season was on Feb. 12, against Barron Collier at the NHS tennis courts. Head Coach Tony Kamen and his team went into the first match of the year with their heads held high and positive thoughts.

“This season, we are full of young players that are [going to] make a serious run for districts and the state playoffs,” senior Toby Horne said.

Determining what the athletes’ results will be during the season against top-tier opponents is difficult. However, coaches and athletes have been able to predict which athletes will excel among the team. 

“Rey was one of the lowest ranked in his first year but came back and was number two,” Horne said. 

The NHS tennis team looks forward to the competitive upcoming 2022 tennis season. With months of training underway and competitive teams to deal with, the spring tennis season should be a sport to watch out for over the next few months.

“I would say our team goal is to win districts, we have always come up a couple wins short, but I think this team can get it done,” Horne said.