By Marisa Dawson

Bennington High School is making history on the tennis court this fall.

For the first time, the school has a boys tennis team, giving students the opportunity to compete in a sport that had not previously been part of Bennington’s athletic offerings.

The response from students has been even stronger than head coach Lance Sindelar anticipated.

“The response has been fantastic! We had more players tryout for the team then we were anticipating,” Sindelar said. “The desire for students to learn the game and play a new sport has been exciting to see.”

That enthusiasm has translated into a roster that includes many athletes who are stepping onto the tennis court competitively for the first time. Sindelar said adding the sport gives students another way to become involved with their school while discovering something they may not have otherwise considered.

“When students have the opportunity to get involved in high school athletics, it helps create a better connection to the school and community,” he said. “By adding a new sport like tennis, it gives students the opportunity to explore something new that they may have never known they would enjoy.”

The team is already gaining experience through its first competitions.

Against Waverly on August 27, Bennington’s varsity team fell 9-2. Senior Gavin Kass earned an 8-1 victory at No. 1 singles, while freshman Tate Herber picked up an 8-3 win at No. 2 singles.

The junior varsity team finished the day with a 6-6 tie. PJ Slater and Sarag Risal, Calvin Luett and Cooper Plas, and Ayomide Akomolafe and Will Queen each earned doubles victories. Eyan Barr, Risal and Queen also recorded singles wins.

The varsity team returned to the court on Saturday at Elkhorn High School, continuing to build experience against its competition. Kass and Herber each finished 1-1 in singles play, while Jesus Mar Macossay and Matt Boro went 1-2 at No. 1 doubles. Daxton Zappia and Bennett Sindelar finished 0-3 at No. 2 doubles.

For a new program with several players still learning the sport, Sindelar said the focus this season is not solely on the win-loss record.

“Many of the players on the team have never played the sport before, so giving them that opportunity is really exciting,” Sindelar said, adding that the new program could also encourage involvement from students and families who may not previously have been interested in participating in high school athletics.

Instead, the team’s goals center on the progress made from one day to the next.

“The goals for the team this year are really simple: work hard to improve everyday and have fun doing it,” Sindelar said. “Success doesn’t necessarily mean we have to win every match we compete in, but we want the players working hard to learn the techniques and strategies to get better every day.”

That mindset is reinforced through what Sindelar calls being an ACE, an approach he hopes the players will carry with them beyond tennis.

“We talk everyday about being an ACE, that means coming in with a good Attitude, being Coachable, and giving their best Effort,” he said. “If they do that in everything that they do, on or off the court, they can’t help but get better.”

As Bennington’s first boys tennis season continues, the program is focused on building its foundation one practice and one match at a time, while giving a new group of students the chance to discover the game along the way.