Coming off a successful season, the Saint Francis varsity girls’ tennis team secured second place in the WCAL with an impressive 8-2 conference record. Despite facing coaching changes and weather setbacks, the Lancers navigated numerous challenges and played through tough matches. Here’s a closer look at the elements behind this team’s success.
Anya Nandiwada (’25) credits the team’s achievements to the countless hours of hard work they put in on the courts every day. “We wouldn’t be able to perform like we do without practice,” she says. A typical practice begins with a warm-up session, where singles and doubles players warm up together before beginning drills and match play. Nandiwada adds, “Practice helps us connect with each other, especially with my doubles partner, because it helps us understand each other’s playing styles.” The final 20 minutes of each practice are spent playing a game with the whole team, which fosters team bonding and a sense of community. “We play this game called ‘touch the fence’ at every practice, and it’s really energizing because everyone gets so invested,” she explains.
This year, the team also welcomed a new coaching staff. Despite the challenge of transitioning to a new coaching team, the players have found the experience rewarding. Isabella Froman (’26) shares, “This year was different because we had new coaches. Not just one, but three really supportive coaches who were always willing to offer advice whenever we needed it.” Ashley Boudeville (’25) adds, “Our coach is one of our best friends. She’s like one of our sisters, and she’s so funny.”
The team also has several pre-match traditions to get into the zone before play. Froman describes the team’s ritual: “We do our prayer where we pass a pinky squeeze in a circle, and then our chant and cheer in a huddle.” She admits that she often feels nervous before matches, but the tradition helps remind her that she’s part of a team. “Tennis is such an individual sport, but having a team provides comfort,” she says.
The Lancers’ season ended with a tough match against Cupertino High School in the CCS quarterfinals. Despite rain delays and difficult matches, the team showed resilience. Froman recalls that “all the singles had really hard matches, but our doubles really pulled through, so even though we didn’t win, we ended on a really strong note and fought till the end, ending on winning matches.”
The Lancers’ dedication and teamwork have set the stage for future seasons. Be sure to come out and support the tennis team at Cuesta!
