After an incredible season for the JP Stevens girls varsity tennis team, the Lady Hawks are proud of everything they accomplished as a team. Their high rankings are hardly a surprise, considering that every member of the seven-player team has put in an incredible amount of hard work to improve their individual skills while spending time with each other to build an unbreakable bond that was evident on the court. 

Throughout the season, the Lady Hawks worked tirelessly to refine their skills and persevere through high-pressure situations. At the same time, they became more comfortable with each other, especially since they all shared a passion for tennis. Captains senior Jiya Saxena and senior Vidhi Malik have demonstrated their strong leadership skills on the team, encouraging all the girls to develop friendships within the team and push themselves to new limits. The captains emphasized the importance of personal development as a means of helping the team, as exemplified by Jiya who explained that one of her own goals for the season was to be more flexible as a doubles player. The captains both knew that team bonding was a crucial component for a successful season, which they promoted through activities like “team eats,” singing on bus rides, and cheering for each other even when they were out of breath. Their camaraderie was best reflected during Senior Night when each player gave gifts of appreciation to the seniors.

These friendships played a significant role in their season successes, such as their 6-1, 6-0 doubles victory against Old Bridge High School. Coach Ricky Kuczynski has been extremely proud of the relationships he has seen being created, as one of his main goals for the girls this past season was for them to be a consistent team and never give up throughout the season. The team upheld these values as they put their all into each of their games, which soon resulted in every player on the varsity team being seeded for the GMCs. After a tiring and stressful tournament lasting three days, the girls were able to persevere and finish in third place, with only one match bringing them away from tying for first. Though opponents like East Brunswick and Westfield made the journey difficult, the team was able to overcome their obstacles with encouragement and hard work. 

The bittersweet losses allowed them to gain experience, nitpick mistakes, and most importantly, come back even stronger. Next season, the Lady Hawks hope to return as a better version of themselves and reach greater heights in their games.