The simple “good luck!” or “you got this!” can make such a difference in performance, whether it’s academics or sports. Here at PLHS, encouragement is extremely common. PLHS believes that encouraging students will help them excel at what activities they partake in. However, there is one sport that doesn’t get the same recognition that all other sports do. 

The PLHS tennis team just finished another season, with a game against Prep, and overall received little to no support this year and have not many years before this. 

Hardly anyone ever hears about tennis during the day. 

“I only hear about tennis from tennis players, no one ever talks about it at school,” freshman tennis player Jackson Vetter said. 

Compared to other sports at PLHS, tennis doesn’t accumulate very many followers. 

“I think tennis doesn’t get as much hype as other sports because it’s not as popular of a sport,” freshman Caitlyn Ryan said, “and it’s definitely not one of the first sports to come to mind when you think about high school sports.” 

However, much like basketball or football, the tennis players still get the same feelings from winning or losing, and the emotions that can trigger how you play. After all, athletes are athletes. 

“Winning and losing can kill some people’s confidence as well as boost it,” Vetter said, “Tennis is a sport of confidence in yourself and whoever has more confidence will more likely end up on top.” 

Every athlete faces different physical and mental challenges, but they can all be connected to the same struggles and obstacles in their sports. 

“I play basketball and soccer,” Ryan said, “I think it probably depends on the player, but tennis could easily have just as many challenges as other sports.” 

All athletes have their best and worst games. An endorsing environment can alter the outcome of a game, match, or meet. 

“At the tennis courts the hype doesn’t need to change. But during school, I would like the tennis team to be recognized as a whole and not just by individual players,” Vetter said. 

Unfortunately, if certain sports like football got removed many people would have something to say about it. But with tennis, it’s a different story. 

“If tennis were removed it would mainly just effect tennis players and coaches and not many students,” Ryan said. 

Many players are affected by the decrease in support and action should be taken to ensure that tennis players are included in school activity and excitement.  

“If the knowledge of tennis increased, I think not only would it boost the confidence of players, but it would also hype up the sport and get more kids involved in it,” Vetter said. 

That simple “good luck!” or “you got this!” before a game can help players confidence increase before every game and should be implemented in the schools’ announcements and in day to day school activities. As with any sport tennis should be accommodated for.