Team spirit is a very important aspect to the girls’ tennis team, keeping them bonded, supporting of one another and in tune with each other as they face challenging competition. Some things they do before and during matches, is cheer and high-five each other between sets and have team dinners, similar to many other sports teams. “We always say a cheer before every match to get us pumped up. We also have lots of Saturday night team pasta dinners,” said junior Haley Hickok. As part of their team bonding experience, the girls are making a 25 foot long blanket so they can stay warm while cheering for the rest of their teammates.
Durkin says the highlight of the season so far has been their wins against Eden Prairie and Hopkins. Eden Prairie is another team that they have lost to in the past and the win brought much excitement and confidence to the Red Knights. The numerous shutouts have also been one of Durkin’s proudest moments for herself and the team so far this season. With the season well on its way, the girls have definitely proven that they are going to be a tough team to beat.