The snow is finally melting, the flowers are blooming, and the weather is slowly getting warmer. For most people, this means windows down, the perfect temperature for outdoor walks, and evenings around the campfire. However, for the Lewis Cass Girls’ Tennis Team, this means one thing: Showtime. The start of spring brings longer days, new life, and a new tennis season. The warm weather presents the perfect opportunity for the girls to get back out on the courts and work on their craft.
The Lady Kings had a fabulous season last year, remaining undefeated for a large portion of their season and even earning a win at sectionals. Going into the 2025-2026 season, the girls will face some challenges. Head Coach Matt Hurst commented on some of the trials the team may be up against, “We lost a strong group of seniors from varsity, so the team needs players to step up and fill the holes. This will require work, time, and dedication to the team.” Hurst emphasized the team’s goals for this season: “The same as every season, work hard to improve, play hard, and do the best we can all while still having fun.”
Even though the team lost many seniors, there is still a skilled group of incoming seniors stepping up to fill their shoes. A few of these seniors include Katie Hurst and Kennedy McLaughlin. Katie, the number one singles player, shared her personal goals for this season, “I want to hopefully have a winning season, personally and as a team, and improve some of my technical skills like serving. With it being my senior season, I mostly just want to have fun and enjoy my time out on the court with my teammates.” Kennedy, number one doubles player, had similar goals for the season, planning to work to improve her technical skills, such as “overheads and volleys, just overall skills at the net.”
With each season comes a new set of memories for the girls. Kennedy shared her favorite memory from her years with the team, “Winning sectionals last year. It was my first year on varsity, and it was really fun to win with some of my best friends. We took lots of pictures and went to Sycamore to celebrate.” Memories like those are the ones that are never forgotten. Katie shared her personal favorite memory, “The practices with the other singles players last year. I was close with the other singles players, so they made practices a lot more enjoyable. It was a really great season, and we all just had a lot of fun.”
Another important part of tennis is the family aspect of it all. The team quickly becomes like a family after spending time on the courts together for so long. For Katie and Coach Hurst, it has always been a family thing. Coach Hurst has been coaching his daughter since she was young and talked about his memories of his time coaching her, “There is not just one thing that I remember, but all of the years from when she was younger to now. Coaching your own kid is not easy, but I am lucky to have had the chance. I will miss her out on the courts with me.” Katie also shared about her experience having her dad as a coach, “It has been a really great experience, at least most of the time. There have been a few rough patches, but I am grateful that I get to have him as a coach. He is the reason I started playing, and I have been able to learn a lot from him as a coach over the years. As a player, he definitely has higher expectations for me, but he always supports me and pushes me to succeed.”
Tennis not only teaches skills on the courts, but also skills in the real world. Kennedy shared about how her years in tennis have helped her improve on the courts as well as in her daily life, “In tennis, and especially being a doubles player, I learned how important communication is and trusting the people around you. In doubles, communication and trust can make or break your match.”
As the season kicks into gear, the team is preparing to face any obstacles it may encounter, but remains confident in its ability to improve and grow with each practice and match. With a combination of strong returning leaders and determined newcomers, the team is ready to make this yet another successful season. As the weather warms and the first match approaches, one thing is certain: it is showtime for the Lady Kings, and they are not backing down. With determination in their hearts and rackets in their hands, they are ready to make the most of every match and every moment on the court.
