Girls Tennis started off on March 2 with a bang as the team welcomed new players to the team. 

 “We’re just kind of forming a new team and getting new chemistry on the court,” senior captain Sienna Maskin said.  

She has played tennis for four years at Central and is excited to take on new responsibilities this season as captain. She is prioritizing sharing a strong friendship with her teammates on and off the court. 

“I think definitely my goals are to foster a really good team culture,” Maskin said.  

This was echoed by sophomore Luna Escalera. “Whether it’s for tennis stuff or just like personal stuff we’re always there for each other and it’s really nice to have that sort of team,” Escalera said.  

Everyone works hard everyday to improve as a team throughout the season.  

“Seeing how the girls progress is pretty cool. 
Some of them have been on the team since freshman year,” tennis coach Mellisa Kuskie said.  

Additionally, the team is also focusing and working to prepare the girls for state tennis on May 21 and 22.  

Tennis can come with many challenges one being the mental side. “I just try to turn my brain off and trust myself that I can do this and that I’ve been doing it for a while,” Escalera said. 

The dynamic between returners and underclassmen is also a strong aspect of the team. Strong leadership is valued on the team but so is effort and positivity. This mentality is instilled in the girls by Kuskie whether it is during weights in the morning or practices the girls put in the hard work that pays off in their matches.  

“The older girls can help mentor the younger ones and we have good leadership,” Kuskie said.