The GCHS girls tennis team is young this year, but that wonāt stop them
The Grand County High School girls tennis team this year is off to a 4-1 start: an impressive lead, considering the 12-person team lost nine seniors last year. But that hasnāt at all stopped them, nor has the fact that tennis is one of the least popular sports at the school, according to the team.Ā
Theyāve so far faced off against Millard (Aug. 14; 3-2 victory), Gunnison Valley (Aug. 25, a 4-1 win), South Sevier (Aug. 31, a 1-4 loss), Wasatch Academy (Sept. 5, 3-2 win), and San Juan (Sept. 7, 3-2 win). Clark Maughan, one of the teamās coaches, said this yearās team has heart and theyāve been working hard all season.
What are they looking forward to the most?
āWinning,ā said Paya Maughan, Clarkās daughter and one of the teamās senior captains. āWeāre going to win state.ā
Tennis is equally mental and physical: team members have to be in good shape to run around the courts and hit their shots, but also be able to bounce back mentally if they miss a serve. Itās easy to get in your head, Paya said.
āIf you donāt have a good mental state when youāre playing, youāre just gonna get destroyed,ā she said.
But so far, the GCHS team prides themselves on their mental game. The captainsāPaya and Rosee Thomasāemphasize positive attitudes. Tennis at GCHS is about having fun, about thinking of the winning shots instead of the losing ones. Even during practices, the team puts on music to play to: songs by Taylor Swift, One Direction, and Flo Rida provide a background soundtrack. Plus, they have supportive coachesāBrian Ballard (head coach), Clark Maughan, Warren Scott, and Lisa Scott.
āWe really just try to encourage everybody to make the best of the games,ā Rosee said. āSometimes your opponents wonāt be friendlyātheyāre straight-up mean sometimesābut if youāre having fun playing, itās a good game no matter what.ā
Itās a team sport, Paya said, even if youāre playing one-on-one against an opponent. If youāre on the tennis team, youāre supporting everyone.
āThe biggest compliment that we get from other teamsāfrom coaches and from playersāis that Moab has the most kind and loving team,ā Ballard said.
Some of the girls on Moabās team have never played tennis before, but the coaches wonāt let that stop anyone from joining. Theyāre willing to teach anyone how to play, Maughan said, and thatās often the most motivating aspect of the GCHS teamāby the end of every week, each player is better than they were at the beginning.
The team will play Millard on Sept. 12, Emery on Sept. 13, and go to Regionals on Sept. 22.