Changes to fall schedule lead to volleyballer joining BSM’s tennis team
With the school volleyball season on hold until spring, sophomore Lily Eigner takes up Varsity tennis.
Lily Eigner (middle left) with her teammates after a 7-0 win against Washburn at Kenwood Park.
September 17, 2020
With COVID-19 spreading, this year has been a little different for all sports teams. For example, volleyball will now take place in the spring instead of the fall. With this transition, volleyball players were given the opportunity to participate in a different fall activity. A few volleyball girls tried out for tennis, but only one made varsity: sophomore Lily Eigner.
Obviously tennis and volleyball are two different sports so this fall was a change for Eigner. For example, volleyball is played inside, whereas tennis is an outdoor sport. “Tennis players have to adjust depending on the temperatures or wind… The weather is not usually a factor when playing volleyball, so it was a little difficult adjusting to that aspect of the sport,” Eigner said. [The tennis coach] was very supportive even though I had not played much tennis in the past year. — Lily Eigner
Another difference between tennis and volleyball is that volleyball is more team-oriented and tennis is a more individual sport.“Tennis is an individual sport, so the bonding of the team is not as much of a factor when it comes to the team’s performance. In tennis, you win or lose by yourself or a doubles partner and then the number of wins are added up to determine which school wins,” Eigner said.
Coming on to the team as a new player, Eigner felt very welcomed by the captains and her coach. “[The tennis coach] was very supportive even though I had not played much tennis in the past year,” Eigner said.
Though Eigner is participating in tennis, this isn’t stopping her from also playing volleyball this fall. Eigner is playing on a club volleyball team, doing lessons with her BSM coaches and teammates, and practicing with the BSM captains every Tuesday and Thursday night. Eigner is able to manage tennis and volleyball because tennis practices are usually right after school and matches are only twice a week, whereas her volleyball training is at night and games are on Sundays. “I usually go right from tennis to volleyball. I try to do as much homework as I can during my [free] hour and on the weekends so I can try to avoid staying up late working every night,” Eigner said.
Eigner is the only volleyball player in varsity tennis, but volleyball senior captains Alexis Brixius and Josie King are also involved in the tennis program. Brixius is playing on the JV team and King is managing the JV team.
