The Leyden high school tennis program is an essential component of extracurricular activities here at Leyden. This program not only provides opportunities for young athletes to participate in physical activity, but also encourages personal growth and academic achievement. As high schools around the world tighten their budgets, it is important to highlight the importance of Leyden boys tennis and why it should be maintained for the students, and the school community.
Leyden boys tennis contains 44 players, of all grades. Their practices take place at East Leyden High School after school. The Leyden boys tennis program is usually less promoted than sports like football, or basketball. For many athletes in tennis, it is not just a sport, but a pathway for personal development. The sport emphasizes individual performance, with planned teamwork, and teaching valuable skills, like discipline, focus, and strength. These skills are able to be applied not only on the court, but also in the real world. “I’ve learned more from tennis than I ever expected,” said Jack Swiontek, a senior at West Leyden, “It has taught me to handle tough losses, and work with my team.”
Unlike some other sports, tennis focuses on participation, and they encourage personal accountability, meaning being responsible for our own actions. The matches that are one-on-one single matches, mean that the athlete is responsible for their own performance, and they learn how to handle both a win, and a loss. “Tennis demands strong individual mental skills like self regulation, focus, and emotional control since players compete alone and can’t rely on coaching mid match,” said Coach Anderson, a P.E teacher at West Leyden. The discipline they must inflict in themselves and the sense of responsibility they must have can be taken off the court and into the classroom and everyday life. In addition to personal growth, it encourages athletes to play a role in promoting Leyden school spirit. The team tries to build friendships that will go beyond tennis and Leyden. The friendships that are made through Leyden tennis helps maintain positive practices, games, and learning environment.
However boys tennis programs around the world can face challenges. Lots of times schools make financial decisions, which may hurt the less popular sports like tennis. With the rise of cost for athletics in high schools, schools might start to pay less attention to less populated sports. The consequences of cutting costs for tennis go far beyond the students that play tennis, but they affect all school communities. The Leyden tennis program also provides pathways for students to pursue the sport after high school. Many players may use their high school career as a starting point to compete at the college level or earn scholarships that can help make decisions for their education and their post-secondary plan. The loss of this program can mean that students miss out on opportunities that can lead to a more successful future.
Even with these challenges, Leyden tennis continues to develop in many areas, as in dedication from coaches, students, and the school communities who are committed to maintaining the sport. Coaches work to ensure that the team remains positive and competitive. Coaches are doing this not only for the development of tennis, but also to show that tennis can have an impact on the school’s community. The importance of Leyden boys tennis program expands beyond athletic achievements. The students learn valuable skills, to enhance their academic development, and promote positive school culture. With the pressure of school budgets, it is important to support the less populated programs like tennis.
As schools may consider budget cuts in the upcoming years, it is important to remember that the value of high school boys’ tennis cannot be thought of by wins and losses alone, but the lessons learned, the bonds formed, and opportunities we are given here at Leyden. Keeping these less populated sports open for students, can lead to students feeling more confident in the sport they play. For the athletes that use tennis as a place to grow and achieve goals, keeping the program is in the best interest for students’ futures and the school community.
