After a strong performance last year, the Akins tennis team made progress toward to building a strong program with a tradition of making it into the district-level competition.

This fall season the tennis team did good things overall. The varsity team beat Del Valle in the Round 1 district match 10-2. The team was later defeated by the Austin High team in Round 2, knocking it out of the tournament and dashing its hopes of matching the team’s arrival in the bi-district-level competition. Even though they didn’t make it through all the way there were some students that showed off their skills and were shining brightly throughout the season.

Ashley Gahan, head Varsity Tennis Coach, said she is very proud to see the team’s improvement this season.

“I’m super proud of them. They’re like my second batch of kids,” Gahan said.

Although the tennis team’s fall season is over, the players will get a chance to compete again in the spring. So players have been working to improve even more after the district game.

Junior Andy Doan has been preparing himself for next season by running and doing physical training other than just playing tennis.

Because last year’s varsity team was made up of mostly seniors, a lot of the new team members are freshmen that joined the team this season. Although the team lost some good players when they graduated, the team is striving for excellence.

Junior Andy Doan also freshman Jacques Carandang were some of the best this season, according to their teammates and their rank.

Team members said they were happy with the individual improvement they made as players this fall and are looking forward to seeing what they can do in the spring.

A lot of training it’s honestly more about running and physical activities rather than just playing tennis and you also get the mindset that you’re going to win,” Doan said.

“Our goal for the season is to get up there and go farther than we did during fall seasoned get better,” junior Connor Harkins said.

They have the mindset to make it farther this upcoming spring season they have been doing whatever they can to better themselves.

“I’m working on stopping players from getting in my head during a match and not overthink everything I do and doing it for the good for my team,” junior Corine Murray said