WILDCATS TENNIS PROGRAM HAS BRIGHT FUTURE
Wildcats Tennis Coach Tony Martinez was on KSST Radio and Cable Channel 18’s Saturday Morning Coaches Show last Saturday. Martinez is completing his fifth season here. He said he thought he could begin to turn the program around in three years. He said it began to happen in year five. Numbers used to be a problem for Coach Martinez. Now he said he’ll have 16 or 17 boys next year contending for varsity spots along with an equal number of girls. Coach Martinez said he’ll have seven senior boys next year. Most began playing as sophomores. Players like singles play Jonah Kirkpatrick and doubles players Aaron Lucas, Logan Schumacher, Jordan Gonzales and Michael McCord. On the girls side, four fabulous freshman girls players were a big part of the team this season. The group includes Jeauxleigh Cantu, Paige Miesse, Savannah Lilley and Emily Dick. Coach Martinez said several of the players plan to play a lot of tennis this summer. He said the players are getting closer in ability to strong players at Texas High and Lindale. The Wildcats will lose only one senior, Zoe Wilson. Coach Martinez said she’ll be a hard one to say goodbye to since she’s been a part of the tennis scene for him since the eighth grade. Coach Martinez said now that the varsity and JV schedules are done, he will concentrate on Middle School competition. A tournament is planned here on May 4 with others coming up at Pine Tree and Van. The Wildcats are also a big part of the benefit CANHelp Tennis Tournament coming up this Saturday at the Wildcats Tennis Complex.
