Air Academy High School students have never been a letdown in showing support for our sports teams both in their best and worst moments, so let’s hear it for the AAHS tennis team! After an astounding 8 to 1 season, and coming in second place during regionals, our tennis team found themselves making it to state! The tournament took place in Pueblo, starting Thursday, the 14th of October, and ran through the weekend, ending on the 16th.  Overall placing 7th out of the 34 teams competing over the weekend, it is no doubt that each member brought their A-game to the weekend tournament!

But where will this bring them for their future seasons? And what was this accomplishment like for the seniors who will be playing with AAHS for the last time?

“I am most excited to come back even more ready than before because we are going to have to keep our feet on the gas and prepare for another great season,” Noah Hellem, a member of the tennis team who made it to the quarter-finals in singles commented.

It’s very important in sports to keep up the momentum even through the offseason, remembering each improvement made throughout the season and thinking of what could be improved on. No matter how well a team performs, there’s always room for improvement. But this doesn’t just stop at their skill and how they play; it’s especially important to bring confidence to each start of the season.

“I think the team was going to do well from the start because we all became so familiar with each other and gained confidence through our competitive practices. We all felt great going into the state championships because we put in so much work during the season…” Hellem continued.

Not only is it important to have confidence in your own performance, but having that trust in the entire team to show up and be just as confident is what makes it a team sport. The building of that relationship will not only improve the mental state of each player but will make it much easier and more fun to work with each member, both as a player and as the coach of the team. This strong synergy with the team also helped its immense growth from just 4 years ago.

“Since my freshman year, our team has increased in skill and in chemistry. The last four years we went from advancing 2 teams to 4 teams, to 6 teams, to 7 teams to state this year. It was a perfect senior season with both the results and experiences we had,” Ben Hellem, who competed in the singles competitions during the championship said.

This finale for the season was definitely an excellent send-off for the seniors playing, who not only got to see the growth of the tennis team but also ensured the future success of the team through their experience. Hellem even got the opportunity to teach younger tennis players!

But the players aren’t the only ones who should be excited. Air Academy Kadets should feel pride for their tennis team. Their ability to represent our school’s athletes and their dedication to their interests in sports is phenomenal, and shouldn’t be simply looked over.