Here’s to a great season of tennis! The Edina Girls’ tennis team has been training hard this year, and are looking forward to the upcoming state match.

Most of the girls on the team have been playing tennis their whole lives. The EGT team members range from grades 7-12, creating a diverse group. Despite the age differences, the girls are all good friends. “Most of us have been on this team for multiple years, and we have a lot of new seniors and some new kids. We also always go out to dinner three times a week, and we always have sleepovers,” said EHS senior and EGT captain Kelly Reger.

The girls practice almost everyday in preparation for the upcoming state match. “We’ve worked hard all year for this match, and we all have experience playing in state because we’ve all been on the team the past several years. So I feel like we know how to handle to pressure, and we’ve played all the teams that are going to be at state, so we know how it’s gonna be,” said EHS senior and EGT captain Caitlyn Merzbacher.

All the practicing comes with a price though, as the girls will be missing ten days of school this semester for state and sections. “I think a lot of us are really academically focused, school is always a priority, but once state and sections come around, tennis creeps in, and takes the main priority in our life. It takes me a while to make it all up, but the teachers are really understanding about it,” said Reger.

The EGT team has an upheld reputation for winning the state match for the past 17 years. The pressure of winning could be a stressful thing for most players, but the team coach, Steve Paulsen, plays a key role in rallying the players. “Steve, our coach, does a really good job of not talking about [the streak], and not talking about winning, but about the pressure to play our best,” said Merzbacher.

Going into the state match is all or nothing for EGT, but the help of an encouraging coach creates a less stressful atmosphere for the players. Along with the coach, there are three team captains, Merzbacher, Reger, and EHS senior Mackenzi Marinovich. “As captain, you select the uniforms, organize captains practices, all logistics, parent meetings, communications, traditions, promoting team unity, and team spirit,” said Marinovich.

You can cheer them on Tuesday at 8 a.m. at the University of Minnesota Baseline Tennis Center against Mounds View.