The 2021 Varsity Tennis season was a rollercoaster of growth and victory for both teams, with losses, wins, and both varsity boys and girls advancing to region. Both teams elaborated on their personal goals for the season as well as pre-game rituals, practice time, and other aspects of the game that don’t always show on the court.

The season started off strong for both varsity girls and boys. Varsity girls won almost all of their matches in February, losing only to Milton High in February by a single point. The Varsity boys won all of their season matches in February, only losing the pre-season game to Chattahoochee High on the 4th. The highlight for the girls was the match at Fowler Park on February 10th, where they defeated Peachtree Ridge with a resounding 5-0 victory. The boys had a similar win against West Forsyth on the 2nd, winning 4-1.

Post game celebration for Varsity Boys Tennis after some great competitive matches and victory against West Forsyth H.S. pic.twitter.com/ntwjlilPNt

— South Forsyth Tennis (@WarEagleTennis) March 3, 2021

Ms. Frankel, the coach of the Varsity Girls team, elaborated on the importance of this season following the pandemic.

“The whole season has been memorable in that we are so grateful to be able to actually have a season!” she explained. “Last year was a huge let down for all the players, not being able to play due to Covid-19.” 

Continuing the season, the Varsity Boys continued to uphold their excellent performance throughout the month of March as they defeated other schools around the county. Their highest scoring match was against Gainesville High School where they won the match with a score of 5-0. Despite a few defeats throughout the regular season, these boys worked to end their season on a victorious note as they defeated Mill Creek High School with a score of 3-2 near the end of March. On another note, the Varsity girls’ team worked hard to bring home victories for the rest of the regular season. They were able to secure a spot in the state tournament and made it to the Sweet 16. 

While the players still had to adjust to the safety guidelines throughout the school year, each and every player worked together to help lead their team to victory. Apart from match days, both teams practice for about three days a week in order to further their endurance and strength within the sport of tennis. Alongside their physical performance, many players hoped to achieve their personal tennis goals for themselves. These goals ranged from winning championships to improving their mentality during each competition.

“I definitely want to work on my mental game,” said senior Mina Amirkhani. “I’ve gotten a lot better as far as physically but so much of tennis is mental and you have to be so incredibly focused on the ball and your shot selection skills. You can’t just hit the ball, you have to think about where you’re gonna hit and the outcome of that hit so you’re prepared for the next shot. It’s easy to get caught up in a miss, but you always have to keep going.” 

Both teams displayed exceptional performance during and before the season. For a sport like tennis, it’s important to build strong relationships and connections with each player on the team. The Varsity girls and boys team have personal pre-game traditions that they include in order to help hype each other up before they get on the tennis court. For some of the Varsity Boys, they personally get together and give advice before each tennis match in order to make sure each player is in the right mindset. The Varsity Girls team incorporates a fun secret-sister on match days where they bring a special treat for another player before they come together for their team chant.  

Ultimately, this entire tennis season has been quite memorable for everyone. From match days to long practices, the Varsity Girls and Boys Tennis Team brought home many wins to the War Eagle nest. They ended their unforgettable season with a tennis banquet, commemorating their accomplishments, their favorite moments, and their graduating seniors.