Coach Wilkin and the Boys Varsity Tennis team have high hopes for this year’s season. Although the number of players on Varsity A is being reduced from eight to six, four members are returning players, all whom played in the top six spots last year. This returning unit is sure to make the team one to be reckoned with. Foster Jebsen ’08 emphasized this point by saying, “The strongest aspect is the returning unit. We all know each other and how we play and have been on the team for awhile so we also know the other schools pretty well.” There are also bound to be new faces at the bottom of the lineup. Captain Matt Schubert ’07 said, “We hope to be solid towards the top of the lineup, but we’re a little unsure about the fifth and sixth spots. No matter who ends up there, they’ll both be new to Varsity A competition. This is not to say this will necessarily be a weakness, but it is a point of uncertainty.” Captain Matt Schubert, Foster Jebsen, Andrew Chan ’08, and Trey Meyer ’09 are all expected to play in the top four positions, while it is unsure as of yet who will fill the bottom. These four returning players hold the memory of last year’s loss during the post season tournament. Although very successful throughout the regular season, the Andover team lost a close match in the semi finals to Milton, who turned out to win the tournament. This year the team is carrying that memory into this season and hopes to succeed where last years team fell short. Not only will the high levels of skill and experience be deciding factors during matches, but team chemistry will also play a huge part well. Captain Schubert said team chemistry was good, stating, “The fact that we get along well allows us to have fun and maintain a laid-back atmosphere. When we have fun and get along well, we play better.” Along with doing well in the tournament, the team’s goals are to fulfill its potential, play well, and to improve individually and as a team. Some challenging matches will be those against Belmont Hill, Roxbury Latin, Milton, Choate, and of course, Exeter. The matches against Belmont Hill, Roxbury Latin, Choate, and Exeter are all home games, which is strongly in Andover’s favor.
