The Baldwin’s boy tennis team started its season on the first day back from spring break on March 20. The team is led by head coach Rick Weaver and assistant coach Jim Ashcraft. This year is Ashcraft’s first year at BHS.

“Toughest opponent this season has been the weather. Lots of postponements, reschedules, and cancellations,” Weaver said.

The weather, specifically rain, has played a big part in the tennis team’s season.

“The number one reason we can’t play tennis in the rain is because our racquets are like lightning rods and approximately 20 tennis players die each year from being struck by lightning while playing tennis,” senior Auggie Lange said.

As the season goes on the team continues to fight through the difficulties of having to cancel and reschedule games.

“It’s bad to play tennis in the rain because the courts get slick and it ruins the tennis balls. Dead tennis balls are horrible to come across. It’s like finding a rotten apple in a batch,” senior Chris Jackson said.

The game of tennis means a lot to some of the players on the team. The players put in work in season and off.

“I started playing tennis freshman year, the game spoke to me both religiously and physically. The monotonous back a forth play style entrances me and beckons myself to compete. Another reason I play the game is because of all the people who have told me that I can’t compete at the level I know I can,” Lange said.

Whether  the players are playing to prove others wrong, for the love of the game, or for fun, they all compete and try their best.

“My grandmother being one of them, has repeatedly called me telling me to give up on my dreams and that I should spend more time mowing the yard or cleaning my room. All of these reasons and more lead to me risking my life day in and day out for the fascinating game of tennis,” Lange said.

Lange won the Frontier League No.1 doubles and qualified for state last year. One of the team’s most experienced players.