On Tuesday Sept. 3, Varsity girls tennis will kick off their new season. Varsity players believe that this year will be a

success and have set higher goals.

“ I just want to win all of my matches, make districts, and make it to state in couples,” Freshman Yuri Takenaka said.

This year’s team has lost several seniors but state champion Risa Takenaka, a junior at North, is not worried about it.

“ We may have lost some important seniors but we also got some good underclassmen this year,” Risa said. “ I think that this will help the team out a lot.”

Many are looking forward to the new season and its results. Players are anticipating a promising record.

“ I am excited about the new season because I think that our team has gotten a lot stronger. It is going to be really fun to be a part of,” Risa said.

This year’s team is also composed of a wider variety of players, which does not always occur. The Lady Knights have players from every level.

“ We have all four grades on Varsity gold this year and I think that it is going to help us out. There is a good balance of experience from the upperclassmen and skill from all ages,” Risa said.

Varsity also feels more prepared for this year than previous ones. They have had many practices since tryouts in preparation for their season and believe that it will pay off.

“ We have worked really hard and I think that I personally have the right mindset going into the season,” Risa said.

The Varsity girls tennis players are also working on either improving/maintaining their strengths and trying to tackle their weaknesses. Some hope to accomplish this by shifting their focus.

“ Last year I focused too much on winning,” Risa said. “ I didn’t really focus on the team but I definitely plan on helping out and being a better teammate this year.”