Credit to Kiley Wallace

Kai Gustafson swings against Liberty on April 1. The Knights won 9-0.

Last season, senior Kai Gustafson was a captain for the boys’ tennis season, also making a journey to doubles state with teammate sophomore Jace Jameson where they placed ninth overall. On FHN’s roster, Gustafson was ranked number one overall out of 12 players. 

“My goal for high school tennis was just to be a state qualifier, so when I did that, it felt really good,” Gustafson said.   

With the tennis season only being a month and a half, it is important to put in work during the off-season in order to show out during matches. Last season, Gustafson had many great achievements: GAC third place, district second place, state qualifier placing ninth and an all-conference sportsmanship award. 

“My teammates are always lifting me up and helping me through some tough matches; there is always someone there to support me,” Gustafson said. 

This year, one of his teammates is senior Gavin Davison, who has been playing tennis at FHN since his sophomore year. Davison’s first sport is hockey, playing on Fort Zumwalt East’s team; he decided to play tennis so he can stay active during the off-season. He described the tennis environment as very uplifting and a great place to be. Davison believes that every teammate makes an impact on not only the team but also the program as a whole. 

“Kai is always positive, making sure to uplift teammates who might not have the confidence in themselves,” Davison said.

In the off-season, Gustafson practiced for many days a week, knowing what he was capable of was only a reminder of what his hard work would pay off for. Getting to higher levels of play and being awarded a longer season is what he puts all his energy towards. Not knowing what the season will hold, Gustafson holds himself to a high standard every time he steps on the court. 

“Being number one last season only made me work hard because I wanted to do better and continue to be a leader,” Gustafson said.