Seniors set their sights on the future after the tennis senior night. The event honored the graduating seniors who dedicated countless hours to the program, celebrating not only their accomplishments on the court but also the friendships and personal growth they gained.
For senior Josephine Gutierrez, the night served as a final opportunity to celebrate the season with her teammates.
“I see it as a chance, just one last time to get with everyone and celebrate all accomplishments throughout the year,” Josephine said.
Although she initially joined the team to simply try something new, the experience quickly became one of the highlights of her high school years.
“Joining is definitely something I didn’t really plan on doing,” Josephine said. “I just wanted to try something new and I ended up really liking it, I would say it’s impacted me in a really positive way because I kind of went out my comfort zone to try something new and I got to meet new people. ”
According to Josephine, one of her favorite memories was the team’s trip to the area tournament this year.
“That was the first time I’ve ever traveled with the team, so it’s probably the most fun I’ve had this year,” Josephine said.
As she leaves tennis behind, Josephine hopes younger players remember one thing: to enjoy the experience regardless of the outcome.
“Whether you win or lose, as long as you have fun, I don’t really think it matters,” Josephine said.
Senior Jaime Dominguez echoed the same feelings while reflecting on his four years on the team. For him, senior night represented the closing chapter of a major part of his life.
“I think this night is kind of like a closure for my time playing tennis,” Jaime said. “Really competing and having fun and being with friends, this is probably the last time I’m gonna get to do that.”
According to Jaime, tennis has shaped him far beyond athletic competition. Through difficult matches, team pressure, and leadership responsibilities, he developed confidence and maturity.
“Tennis has definitely been a great thing when it comes to having some self-respect and self-esteem,” Jaime said. “It’s taught me that I’m more capable than I thought I was.”
This season also brought challenges as players fought for Jaime’s spot at number one while balancing conflicts and pressure. However, Jaime believes the experience taught him to focus on his love for the sport.
“This is the season for the sport I love,” Jaime said. “At the end of the day, you just have to focus on what you love. ”
Head coach Alejandro Rivera said this senior class will always hold a special place in his memory, as they were his first seniors as head coach.
“These seniors have been amazing,” Rivera said. “They’ve been super appreciative and kind to me, and I am going to miss them a lot.”
Rivera credited the seniors with setting the tone for the team’s culture by demonstrating leadership, hard work, and positivity for younger players to follow.
“The seniors make up the team,” Rivera said. “Everything that they do, the younger players will look up to.”
One of the most defining moments of the season came during the team’s bi-district win, where every senior contributed a win to secure advancement to area.
“That moment was very special because it was their last year, and they all locked in to perform perfectly,” Rivera said.
Although Rivera acknowledged the team will face challenges replacing such a large and personable senior class, he remains optimistic about the future of the program and the example these seniors leave behind.
“This team is going to take a lot of hard work to live up to what the seniors did,” Rivera said. “But we’re gonna be just as strong if not stronger.”
