Spring Sports Preview: Boys and Girls Tennis

Spring has officially arrived and brought the tennis season along with it to South Lakes High School.

The Seahawks' boys team (0-3) was in a crunch during preseason, when it found itself with a last-minute head coaching vacancy.  Susan Banville stepped in, and she says she is  focused on individual improvement as opposed to wins and losses at this point in the season.

“I am not all about the wins,” Banville said. "I want these boys to be working hard, take it seriously and have some fun.  I feel like that is kind of working so far.”

Even though the Seahawks have opened the season 0-3, the coach has seen improvement from her team through matches against Liberty District opponents Langley, Stone Bridge and McLean.

“We played Langley and won both our No. 1 [Sam Boone and Sam Evans] and No. 2  [Michael Cronk and McNeill Bauer] doubles matches against them,” Banville said. “We’ve had more wins in our first two scrimmages and one match than we did in the entire season last year.”

The boys’ team has 17 members and is headed by two seniors and one junior who are the captains this season:  Sam Boone, Damir Golac and Michael Cronk.

“I want the team captains to come up with a community service project,” Banville said. “I think it is important to give back to the community, and it also foster a stronger sense of the team. I also encourage the captains to plan social events for the boys.”

Banville has participated in athletics for the majority of her life, playing tennis at the collegiate level, USTA and NOVA. She has coached as an assistant for the Chantilly youth basketball program.

While working as a substitute teacher, Banville heard South Lakes needed a head coach.

Banville says she appreciates the help and support she has received from the team's previous coach and the parents to get her up to speed, since she was hired after preseason tryouts.

“One of the moms has offered to videotape some of our matches,” Banville said. “So, I will take classroom time to watch it.”

Girls’ Tennis

South Lakes' girls  varsity (0-3) head coach Gabriel Kotto has lots of players on the girls team this season. However, some early season injuries have given the Seahawks a bit of a setback in looking towards the future.

Thirty-four girls make up the Seahawk 2011 varsity and junior varsity roster.

Leading the team are 2010 Liberty District champion and third- place regional player, Lea Kotto. Captain and doubles district semifinalist Karen Cronk and co-captain Michaela Graves round out the top three.

Unfortunately, Lea Kotto and Cronk are both out of action due to injury. Coach Kotto says he expects Lea Kotto back in three weeks and Cronk back in two.

“South Lakes girls’ tennis team is on the rise, "said Kotto. "It has been three years since my developmental program started with the team.  As the Coach, I am supporting the USTA no-cut-team to shape the team for many year to come.”

Kotto and his assistants have also formed a third team for the Seahawk’s tennis program this season.

“Team ‘C,’ the Quick start tennis is a program by the USTA to enhance tennis and introduce the game to beginners,” he said.

Kotto agrees with Banville that individual improvement will help create chemistry and strong team morale.