Tryouts start next week!

By March 24, 2021Uncategorized

Tennis fam,

Two long years have passed since the last time we’ve gotten together and needless to say, I am really excited to begin the 2021 season! I know the captains (Luke, Luca, Henry) are excited to get started as well. A lot to cover in this message so please read it closely:

Tryouts start next Monday and will go from 2-6pm at Kenwood courts. We will split into two groups so the coaches can evaluate you closely. ON WEDNESDAY TRYOUTS WILL BE AT INNERCITY TENNIS (ICT) FROM 4-6 PM (CHECK EMAIL/TEAMSNAP FOR DETAILS).

Please be early.
Please bring water and a snack. **There will be no water at the courts
Please wear a MASK until you are on the actual tennis court (this will be monitored and strictly adhered to).
Please bring a tennis racket and wear athletic clothing. **We have extra rackets if you need one
These players will need to be there from 2-430pm on Monday
L. Little
H. Bastian
L. Cordova Stuart
O. Prentice
O. Hemer
T. Grimes
C. Graff
B. Fitzgerald
A. Graff
N. Anderson
L. Smith
B. Merims Johnson
*I chose those individuals based off my familiarity with them as players. *Upperclassmen status was considered as well.
Everyone else please arrive at 4pm and plan on staying until at least 6pm.
We will have team introductions at 4pm when we have the 30 minutes of overlapping time together. We will wear masks at that time.
Uniform shirts will be handed out on Monday. Thank you Beth Gyllstrom and Washburn Foundation for providing monies to cover these. You will get to keep these.
Once tryouts are over we will hand out varsity and junior varsity shorts as well. They will need to be worn every match.
**New this year
We have 24 kids signed up for tennis. In the past we have had double that. We will have only ONE Jv team this year and coaches Tim and Varo will be co-head coaches. If the numbers stay that low expect to have about  12 make varsity and the remaining players will be on Jv. No one will be cut!
FAQ
What if it is raining/snowing/wet on Monday?
We will still show up to the courts and check in with the coach. We will shorten the practice time and condition.
Is it too late to sign up for tennis?
No! Tell your friends! We only have a handful of new players on the team and only one seventh grader—I’m hopeful that changes.
What if I’m not feeling well for tryouts—will missing a day eliminate my chances of making varsity?
NO! Please stay home until you feel better. There will be movement throughout the year and opportunities to move up.
Will there be anything tennis related during spring break?
Yes. The coaches haven’t decided when or what because we don’t know how many will take us up on that. We will have some sort of optional hitting, match play, private lessons available for those who stay in town.
Where do we find our schedule?
TeamSnap has our complete schedule. We will be amending one match date or time (Mpls South) because it overlaps another but other than that, barring cancellations, the schedule is set.
If I’m supposed to be at practice from 4-6 Monday, should I assume that’ll be the same for me the rest of the week?
No! There will be a lot of movement after day one and I will send an email that evening detailing who needs to be where/when. Since it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you play (and some never at all) I need to evaluate you to determine if you’re ready for varsity consideration or not.
Who should I tell if I have a conflict with a practice or match?
Please tell me if it’s during tryouts and your respective head coach once teams have been decided.
Last but not least, please please please get out and play some matches/sets this week. The majority of tryouts will be a match play format so we can begin to assemble a lineup. Varsity has a tournament the Monday after spring break so I will have four days next week to figure that out. Come ready to compete!
Thanks all! Cheers to a great season.
Coach Hoag

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