Freshman Courtney Epplin decided to take a leap and try out for the girls tennis team at FHN after only playing for about a year. Her practice paid off when she secured a spot on the varsity team at tryouts. 

“[My varsity teammates] have really welcomed me, they’ve been supportive of me,” Epplin said. 

Being a freshman on any sports team can be fearsome, but Epplin felt that the varsity girls really accepted her with open arms. She’s not afraid when she makes mistakes because she knows that everyone will just cheer her on and tell her to keep going, “as people tell you that not everyone is perfect.” The varsity girls have really shown her that not one person is superior and that everyone has a chance at getting better. With the idea that everyone can get better, varsity girls have been setting team goals to complete by the end of the season. 

“We just want to perform better than we were last year and have a better attitude on the court and to each other,” Lauren Chance, a teammate of Epplin, said. 

Team goals are always a great way to bond, but Epplin also has personal goals she would like to complete by the end of the season and by the end of high school. By the end of the season, Epplin is hoping that she improves her overall skill level. She also hopes to help and keep the positive outlook that her upper classmates have shown her how to do. Epplin strives to keep those same goals all throughout high school, as she is really big on team positivity. 

“I say just be successful,” Epplin said. “I mean, obviously, I hope to win a lot of matches, but just staying positive, improving my skills really.”