Girls’ Tennis Plays on New Coach’s Court, Serves Up Hidden Potential

VERNON LUONG
Staff Writer
Former varsity girls’ tennis Head Coach Bill Yee steps down from his position this year to switch roles with former JV Coach Calvin Chow. Chow explains the switch as the decision to take Yee away from the strain of being a varsity coach, as well as an AP U.S. History teacher.
However, despite having a new team under his wing, Chow was able to lead the girls through the preseason and into Almont League games with a 8-7 record. In addition, it was accomplished with only three returning varsity members from last year. Co-Captains Nancy Vong and Gabrielle Hong commend him for keeping the team strong through the transition of coaches.
“The team is really unified and we have a great bond,” said Vong.
Chow is also excited for the potential of this year’s team. He expects the same discipline as his former JV players, but now the performance levels are higher. The team agrees that his attitude exemplifies just that vision.
As the team still needs to improve most on their mentality during matches, Chow combats this weakness through reaction volley drills. By staging the players just behind the net, Chow is able to improve the girls’ focused state by presenting a shorter reaction time frame than if they were farther away from the net. The girls acknowledge the more intensive practice as a needed preparation for facing faster opponents.
“He has [made] us more dedicated. We were not as focused last year,” said Hong.
With the rest of the League season left to unfold, the team remains comfortable with their new coach, along with their current record. Chow feels the same way towards his new varsity team.
“Any player under his guidance will improve a lot because he is a good teacher,” said Vong.