The UC High Boys Tennis Team is gearing up to hit the courts with another exciting season. With a shift in leadership, intensified training, and the potential to set the 2024-2025 season as a defining year, the UC High Boys Tennis Team as a whole is set up for success.

   One of the most important changes this season is the departure of longtime and beloved coach Aleksic, who received a recent promotion and, as a result, will not be returning. According to Senior Arseniy Kuznetsov, Mr. Nguyen, with the help of his relative Coach Clara, will be stepping up as “our new head and assistant coaches.” 

    The transition of coaches means that senior players will be stepping up into leadership roles, a challenge that Kuznetsov said he is looking forward to. “This season is going to be different because Mrs. A can’t be our coach, which is going to bring a lot of unexpected changes to the season and the team. During the interest meeting, Coach Nguyen mentioned seniors would have to take on more responsibility, especially with newcomers on the JV team,” said Kuznetsov.

    While this may seem challenging, Senior Jared Ashman is looking forward to it. He said, “It should be fun.” Beyond shifts in responsibility on the team, there will be a change in training regimens to focus on conditioning and fitness. Ashman said, “All of the team’s conditioning has been taken up a notch.” Ashman believes that this will be a key element in the team’s preparation for success, which he believes is inevitable due to these new changes and all the efficient elements from last year being brought to this season, such as a “rock-solid singles team which was and will be one of the best in the League.”

   “Arseniy Kuznetsov and [Senior] Howard Truei are both aiming to be captains this year,” said Ashman. He went on to explain that with their training regiment, the team can expect a lot of running. “Running is crucial, but it’s not the only adjustment the team is making,” said Truei.

   Nguyen is now taking night classes and has less availability throughout the season. According to Truei, “Players will need to rely on their potential captains to maintain a structured, efficient practice.”

    Truei believes that these changes will “…bring successes but also be in the true spirit of tennis, fostering camaraderie and competition.” This new environment will allow the team to leave every match feeling proud of their performance, with them having a strong chance of winning the League according to Kuznetsov, their toughest competition being from Scripps Ranch High School.

    “Adjusting the roster to compensate for graduating seniors and maximizing the potential of players they have” will actually be easier since the leadership is now team-oriented, according to Truei. He said, “The team will have lots of success and more potential for years to come.”

   The team is looking forward to many annual highlights as well, such as, “Senior Night, playoffs, and the end-of-season banquet,” said Truei. 

    With a mix of experienced and rising talent, the UC High Boys Tennis Team is shaping up to be a force in the League. Whether it’s perfecting their doubles strategy, outlasting opponents in singles, or simply keeping up with a new conditioning regimen, the Centurions are ready to make this season one to remember for years to come.