Off-season Sage Hill tennis has been a crazy rally of new rules, teammates and adjustments. 

The students have been working hard to make the best out of the crazy curveballs thrown at them. But with many changes to the normal system, it is understandably difficult. 

As part of COVID procedures, players are assigned their own ball can during games, and the amount of actual playing time has been unfortunately reduced severely. Most of the practices are spent doing conditioning and drills rather than the usual games on the courts. Tennis players are also not allowed to serve and must wear masks at all times. 

While many people would view the change in programming negatively, many of the girls’ tennis team took it in stride. 

“Although the tennis program has been altered to be COVID-safe, I was just grateful to get onto a court and play again,” said Roya Yaghmai.

After not being able to play tennis for nine months, the option to join the program, abnormal or not, was something many players were excited about. The comradery and team aspect of the Sage Hill tennis program has luckily been kept intact throughout the course of the pandemic. 

While many of the returning players had the opportunity to compare it to their previous years on the team, the freshmen came into the curriculum not knowing what to expect. 

“I wish I could play more during practice,” said freshman Jazi Aftabi, but “even though it isn’t completely how I pictured my freshman year tennis experience, I really enjoy playing and working out with my teammates.” 

While the future of school sports and CIF remains up in the air, the students are trying their best to roll with the punches, and ace away their COVID qualms.