Seminole High School is known for many great things, but the major one being our athletics. Football, basketball, and swimming are some of our most popular ones. However, there is an amazing sport that many people don’t attend or know much about: the tennis team.
The girls’ varsity captain, Joelle-Reese Payabyab, who is a senior in Health Academy, has loved tennis ever since she was little, “Tennis was the first and only sport I’ve ever played. I started when I was 5 but only became consistent when I started doing tournaments at 12. I’ve played for Seminole High School for all 4 years of my high school career and have had the honor of being my team’s captain for 3 of those years.”
Being a captain comes with great responsibility, “As captain, my main responsibility is to create that sense of “team” and make sure the voice of every player is heard. Because tennis can’t be played as a team like other sports such as football. I must include and/or engage everyone to have team spirit. For me, that’s my first and foremost, most important task. Alongside this, my responsibility is to situate certain events and make sure the team has everything they need to play at the optimal level (snacks, beverages, uniforms, ice, etc.).”
The boys varsity captain, Clarence Ta, a senior in IB, has played tennis for many years as well. “I’ve been playing tennis for about 12 years, played all 4 years on varsity, and have been captain for 1 year in my senior year.” He motivates the team even through tough matches. “I give my teammates a green light to play as freely as possible. By this, I mean a lot of the time. The younger players feel pressured during tough matches because it may be their senior’s final match if they lose (a feeling I felt in my sophomore year), so I make sure to let them know that they shouldn’t feel pressure, by meaning of the match, and play their best tennis and if they lose then that’s the best they could’ve done that day.”
One problem most students face when taking part in an extracurricular activity is not knowing how to balance school and sports. Both Payabyab and Ta agree that academics will always be their top priority.
The main benefit of joining a sport is meeting new people and being allowed to create new memories. Payabyab enjoyed, “In my sophomore year after our district game rained out. Instead of playing 10 hrs of tennis like we thought we were, we ended up going to each other’s house and playing hours of beach volleyball in my neighborhood.” Ta also agreed that this memory is his favorite since it allowed the team to bond more than they had before.
Both captains always motivate the team whether they are winning or not. “Although I cannot physically help my team through tough matches, quick pep talks and tricks help them preserve through their game. For example, I tell them “Shake it off, next point.” or “Take your time”. While these words may seem generic to every pep talk a coach or another teammate may tell them, I find it very helpful when trying to overcome the psychological barriers that come from tough matches.” Says Payabyab.
Ta encourages everyone to attend their matches, “The sport is pretty cool to watch because you can get so close to the game. From the fence you are only a couple feet away from the players, you can see how fast the ball moves and I think it’s pretty cool and exciting…”