Alejandro Puga
The girls tennis team breaks before their match against Orange Cove on senior night on Oct. 9.
The Granite Hills girls tennis team has found new energy and direction heading towards the end of the season under the leadership of first-year coach Jake Winter and senior captain Valeria Pedraza.
The Grizzlies Tennis team has a record of 5-9, with some matches still left to go. The Grizzlies’ biggest accomplishment this season was beating Corcoran twice in the same week.
Even though the Grizzlies have struggled in league matches, Pedraza and Winter have continued to encourage the team to always have a positive attitude and push each other to the limit.
“I want to keep encouraging my teammates and setting the tone with a positive attitude,” Pedraza said. “No matter the results, I expect us to keep improving, pushing each other, and enjoying the journey together, and make this a season we can all be proud of.”
Winter echoed those sentiments.
“Beyond wins and losses, I hope to build a culture of respect, hard work, and fun,” he said. “Players should feel proud to represent the school and carry the lessons they learn on the court into the rest of their lives.”
It has been an interesting transition for the senior-heavy team, having to adjust to life under a new coach. The Grizzlies have 10 seniors on the team, which made Winter’s transition exciting yet challenging.
“Stepping into a new school and coaching a team of mostly seniors was exciting,” Winter said. “But it was for sure a challenge.”
The seniors on the team are: Pedraza, Monserrath Cervantes, Joselyn Alcantar, Marianela Aguilar, Julie Hernandez, Genesis Chang, Daisy Serrano, Alissa Villagomez, Bibiana Mendez, and Ana Vasquez.
“Having a team full of seniors is both exciting and a little bittersweet,” Winter said. “They bring experience, leadership, and a strong work ethic, which sets a great tone for the season.”
The Grizzly seniors were recognized during Senior Night on Oct. 9 against Orange Cove. The girls finished their last home match of the season with an impressive 6-3 win.
“It was good, I had fun,” Hernandez said. “My match went by really fast, and it was one of my fastest.”
With all these seniors graduating, what’s next? Well, Winter plans on encouraging more lowerclassmen to get involved with tennis.
“We plan to encourage more freshmen and sophomores to join, creating a welcoming environment where practices are fun, supportive, and show that every player can grow, contribute, and enjoy the game for years to come,” Winter said.