The spring sports season is in full swing, and the boys tennis team is no exception. These players have returned to the court with high expectations and goals, the most predominant of which is to carry on the three-year streak of winning state. As matches begin, the blend of experienced veteran players and promising new talent is on full display within their twelve-person roster. Like almost every high school team, a new year means new players and leadership to guide them through the 15 regular-season games.
Senior Jacob Colton is locked in on the shared goal: “There’s a lot of focus, but it doesn’t get to the point where it’s all-encompassing. Everybody’s very understanding of their commitments,” he said.
Colton has been a part of the team since 8th grade, and he is a captain along with seniors David Schumacher and Ben Macedo.
Last year’s captains had an influence on Colton because they were only a grade ahead, making them “more of my friends rather than captains,” he said.
Colton has enjoyed mentoring the grades below him so far and is looking forward to seeing how the team evolves under new coaching and with new players.
Goals are imperative, but what about team culture? At every match, something on the courts stands out. In between serves or after a hard-fought point, you can hear the team cheering each other on from in between fences. Players call each other out by name, encouraging their teammates to fight for the win.
On the courts, the energy is almost tangible. This cheering reveals part of their factors for success: an exceptionally supportive team bond.
First-year varsity player Lucas Laguna shares this sentiment about having a welcoming atmosphere: “Spending time with them is always just fun,” he said.
Laguna also mentioned lively team travel where they talk and listen to music like “Cupid” by K-pop group ‘FIFTY FIFTY,’ which Laguna dubbed the “unofficial team theme song.”
Last year’s runner-up Class A champion, Winston Arvidson, agreed with Laguna that traditions and hype music like Cupid “has a certain vibe to it that’s, you know, unmistakable, […] some may call it scrumptious,” he said.
Arvidson also mentioned team dinner, socializing by the tennis shed, and state experiences that have brought the boys closer together.
“I think that’s why team tennis is so amazing,” he said.
In an interesting development, one of the new assistant coaches, alumni (´24) Maik Nguyen, was a tennis captain when he was a student. Laguna is excited for coach Nguyen to be back because he adds a beneficial impact to the team.
“He’s a great guy […], and he’s been very helpful, especially when we have a lot of drills where we separate everyone up,” he said.
Almost all the coaching staff are new this year, but Arvidson doesn’t think this will faze them because “The new coaches have been good and are very supportive, [..] they’re like hype people,” he said.
Like any team, the Spartans are bound to face challenges this season. Doubles player Gavin Leuthold mentioned how he is “looking forward to getting a chance to improve and play against some of the tougher schools.”
Luethold mentioned his excitement about playing against rival Blake, as well as their prior match against Wayzata, a much larger school. This season against Wayzata, SPA did lose, but for a single A team competing against a double A, they performed quite well and had a few close games.
The new head coach, Andrew Argeros, is a former Hamline College tennis player. His prior coaching experience includes the girls Benilde-St. Margaret’s team in St. Paul. He replaced coach Luke Elifson, who was head coach for three years and an assistant before then.
Coach Ageros believes that even though they might be a new team with new players, they are “still bringing the same intensity and the same level of play that we’ve been bringing the last few years, too,” he said.
He also displayed the same enthusiasm to beat Blake, but he stated that overall, his goal was “to see them reach their own potential and make the most of [the season],” he said.
With a packed schedule for the next month, fans can get excited for compelling matches with intense competition. SPA tennis doesn’t just want to win games; they want to continue a legacy built on team unity, bonding, and hard work.
