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Sports

Getting in the Swing of Things

A new coach guides the Flint Hill girls tennis team

Quick Facts

  • Coach: Stephen Spratt
  • Last years record: 5-7
  • Key Game: Bullis, Potomac, Georgetown Day

After a successful first season as the Flint Hill boys tennis coach this past spring, Stephen Spratt has taken on the added responsibility of coaching the girls tennis team this fall.

“It’s my first season with them, so I am just learning who we have and what they can do,” Spratt said. “I have about 22 girls playing between varsity and junior varsity, and we will start out with 10 on the varsity team.”

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The team was put to an early-season test with a match against Paul VI on Sept. 1, and they came away the victors, winning 5-4.

“One of things I learned coaching the boys is that you need to work a lot on doubles and that’s why we won our first match,” Spratt said. “We spend a lot of time on doubles in practice and I learned that you need to have patience with the players. I’m getting better in my old age.”

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The current group of girls consists of many fresh faces as they lost more than half the team to graduation last year.

“The thing I noticed right away is that we are not very experienced, but they are trying hard in practice and we work hard and they are eager to learn,” Spratt said. “It’s going to be a tough year, but I think they will live up to the challenge.”

Spratt is relying on four returning players to take the top four single spots on the team.

Frances Peyton, Lauren Klicka, Haley Hickey and Stephanie Altreudter will play singles in the first few matches and the coach will mix up the other players for doubles teams.

“Those are our strongest players and we will see what happens as the season goes on and I learn the players and the league better,” Spratt said. “I was very proud of how they all played in that opening match.”

Over the past two seasons, the team has won five games, with records of 5-6 and 5-7, and Spratt is trying to use that win total as a benchmark for his squad.

“Hopefully, we can duplicate the five wins but I am not guaranteeing anything,” Spratt said. “I am just learning the level of play in this league and I am looking forward to the season.”

Key matches will be against Bullis on Sept. 7, Potomac on Sept. 19 and St. Andrews on Oct. 6.

“Honestly, I think every match will be good this year,” Spratt said. “The championships start Oct. 25, and I expect the girls will play hard to get there.”

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