Apaches add team tennis to program

GONZALES — Gonzales Athletic Director Kodi Crane is not done adding activities to the Apaches program.

The Gonzales Apaches will be trotting out a team for team tennis starting this fall, with head coach Charlotte Henke taking charge.

“Most schools our size has fall tennis and we have quite a few kids that only play tennis, so this just gives them an opportunity to play in the fall,” Crane said. “[Team tennis involves] playing more matches, one school against another, rather than tournaments, and it just gives another kid more to do.”

Crane’s M.O. has always been to involve more students with as many after school, extra curricular activities as he can and team tennis is just one more way the Apaches can do this.

“The more kids we have that are involved the better off our school is.”

The biggest difference between team tennis in the fall and tennis in the spring is, as Crane stated above, there are more “duals” or matches against one school instead of tournaments.

At the district level, each school can enter one team consisting of a minimum of seven boys and seven girls. Each team match has 19 matches, six boys’ singles, six girls’ singles, three boys’ doubles, three girls’ doubles and a mixed doubles team. According to UIL regulation, players may, but are not required to, play both singles and doubles or mixed doubles.

A team will set their lineup in ladder positions. For example, the best boys’ single player will be listed at 1, the next best at 2 and so on until 6. In a match, players will take on whoever matches their ladder position, meaning 1 will take on 1, 2 will face 2 and so on until 6 takes on 6. Doubles play has the same ladder rules as singles. A player participating in doubles cannot play the mixed doubles match. Each match won will count as one point for the team. The team with the most points at the conclusion of all the matches wins.

After the regular season is over, schools enter a district tournament. Top teams will then reach the area meet, the regional tournament and then finally the state tournament.

Henke has been named head coach for both team tennis in the fall and tennis in the spring.

“She has a tennis background,” Crane explained. “Whenever [previous head coach Sarah] Kennedy was on maternity a couple years ago, she helped us out, so that will be a pretty smooth transition.”

Girls’ soccer head coach Jenna Philips will still be involved with the program as she assists with junior high tennis.

Gonzales has been placed in District 27-4A, along with Austin Eastside Memorial, Geronimo Navarro, La Vernia and Wimberley.