As we head into spring, the tennis season is starting, as both St. Olaf Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams began their seasons in mid-February. While both teams compete in short, condensed fall seasons, a bulk of their matches, including Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Championships, are in the spring.
Although tennis is usually an outdoor sport, the cold and snow in the Minnesota winter does not usually allow athletes to compete outdoors. The season starts off with practices confined indoors, down on the track in the Skoglund Athletic Center. Since the space is not solely used for tennis, the floor in Skoglund is made out of a sports court material, unlike the usual hard courts during MIAC matches.
“From a technical standpoint, it’s an adjustment; the ball moves a bit slower and doesn’t bounce as fast or as high,” said Lila Coval ’28 during an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “You can get used to playing on a surface, then as soon as we have matches on a different material, the ball can move faster, and it is certainly an adjustment.”
As the weather begins to warm up, the teams are looking to move outdoors in April, but they will continue to practice indoors until there is no further possibility of snow.
“We are definitely very lucky to have a place on campus where we can play, instead of having to go to a different place entirely,” Coval said.
With the move outdoors slowly approaching, the teams are looking forward to getting back in the sun.
“The shift in the spring when we can play outside definitely helps with morale, because it is a lot easier to be grateful to play outside when you haven’t been able to,” Coval said.
Elliana Loesch ’27 also discussed excitement with the changing weather.
“We all get more excited because we get to go play in the sun, and it is big that we can finally play outside,” Loesch said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger.
The captain of the Men’s team echoed Loesch and Coval.
“We are happy to be outside, but we are also just happy to be playing tennis,” Ryan Birnesser ’27 said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger.
At the start of every season, the teams get together and decide their values for the upcoming season.
“Our coach is really big on team culture, so each year we talk about our team values,” Coval said. “It helps to keep us focused on why we are there. Yes, we are there to play tennis and have a good time, but we are also a part of a community, and we want to keep the community … a safe and supportive atmosphere.”
With these teams, the little things are the big things.
“We try to remember our values and focus around empathy, drive, and supporting our teammates,” said Loesch.
For the Men’s team, their values this year are the acronym STUD, standing for Strength, Trust, sUpport, and Drive. For the Women’s team, their acronym is PRIDE, with the values being Positivity, Resilience, Inclusivity, Drive, and Empathy.
Since the season has only just started, both teams are still warming up and getting ready for the packed season ahead.
“Four seniors [graduated] last year, and they were all in the top six lineup, and so there has kind of been an adjustment trying to figure out a new team culture and dynamic this year,” Coval said in regards to the Women’s team.
Birnesser reflected on the remainder of the season for the Men’s team.
“The season has been going pretty good, a lot of close matches,” Birnesser said. “Everyone has been working really hard, playing well, and we have good matches coming up, so we are all excited to get out and keep playing.”
