A look at the San Juan girls tennis team with coach Ciarra Walker

The San Juan High School girls tennis team is gearing up for the start of the 2021 season. They were set to open with a round trip to Castle Dale and Price to take on Emery and Carbon this Tuesday, August 31.

Since the matches will take place after our press deadline, results won’t be available until next week. But Lady Bronco Head Coach Ciarra Walker, entering her second season at the helm of girls tennis, answered several questions about her team ahead of the season opener.

Q: Coach Walker, how is your team shaping up this year?

A: So far things are looking good. We’ve been practicing for a couple weeks and our new players are learning quickly.

Q: Who did you lose from last season?

A: We lost four players from last season. They were strong players and they’re missed, but we’re excited to start working with some new ladies.

Q: Do you have any strong new players?

A: We have six freshman players so far, and there are a few with some promise. Most of them have never played tennis before so we’re starting from ground zero.

Q: Have any returners surprised you with their growth and performance since last year?

A: Kamora Mitchell has improved over the summer and I’m excited to see how she does.

Q: Who do you expect to step up into leadership roles this season?

A: Sonja John is our only senior this year and I expect that she’ll step up and be a leader.

Q: Where do you expect to have strengths this year?

A: Our areas of strength would be our youth. 80 percent of our team is new, with only three returning players. But this means we’ll have a strong team the next few years with all of our young freshmen. Our team is fresh, positive, and fun.

Q: In what areas might you need work?

A: We’re focusing on basic skills, learning form, and how to improve the skills that are there. For our seasoned players we’re working on aiming our shots and serves and more technical skills.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a team this season?

A: Our main goal is to improve our skills and have fun. We have some tough competition this year, but we’re ready to play!

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