Hampton-Dumont-CAL girls tennis focuses on improving

With the season under way for the Hampton Dumont-CAL Bulldogs girls tennis team co head coaches Chad Johnson and Staci Johnson said that their goals for the team is to get better throughout the season and to have fun.

“I think we saw it in the first week of practice,” Chad said. “I also think that through the game we had on Thursday night that in each set I saw some improvement.” 

“My goals are for the girls to have fun and to learn as they are doing that,” Staci said. 

The team lost their first game on March 28 to Charles City 9-0. Despite the loss the coaches said that each girl won a game during their sets and that they saw improvement during the sets.

It is the first year as the team’s head coaches and Chad said that he thinks the Bulldogs are adjusting well to the way they coach.

“One of our daughters plays so we got to see them last year as well and I think coach Trevor Eiklenborg did a great job with the kids last year and we’ve got quite a few coming back this year and I think they are responding well,” Chad said.

“It is a learning process for both of us and we are getting to know them and they are getting to know us,” Staci said. “Our goal is to get comfortable and then they will be willing to take advice from us when they need it and we will learn from them as well.”

From what they have seen so far, there are multiple girls who can have strong seasons for the Bulldogs.

“One girl is our daughter Jade Johnson I think she is really hitting the ball hard this year,” Chad said. “Her serves are not going in right now but she is really good with her second serve. Ashley Chipahua, she is our number one right now and she really did a nice job that first round. Lauren Hill is doing a fine job as well she played the number five for us the other night and I think with a little bit of time she will be moving up there as well.”

As the season moves along and the team gets to the midway point and later. Consistent improvement is one thing the coaches would like to see and being able to practice outside will help with that.

“That is what I want to see when we reach that conference meet and I would love to see everybody being more consistent with everything and to have consistent improvement,” Chad said.

“I think we will also have some improvement as we have had only two practices outside otherwise we have been in a gym that does not have a proper court size,” Staci said. “So once we get that more consistent that will help the girls get in their groove and make the plays they have to make.”