BY ISRAEL BONILLA
Staff Writer

It has been a tough rebuilding year for the boys’ varsity tennis team. But that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been progress.

It has been an uphill battle for the team, which opened the season with only one senior, Jake Gruber, coming back. Twelve varsity players graduated last year.

Gruber and junior Nigel Armbruster served as team captains for the team this year.

The team won just two matches this year – one of them against West Mifflin and the other a big section win against Montour by a 3-2 score.

Sophomore Nic Babic won Baldwin the match against Montour by first winning hisfirst set, and then winning a tie-breaker in the second set.

Players agreed, meanwhile, that the team could have won the match against Canon-Mac.

“That was a game we should’ve won,” junior Matt Prelich said. “I was just hitting a few balls that were going out that I would usually get in during practice.”

Coach Dave Hayden and Coach Mike McLaughlin have been working with all of their players to develop skills and improve the team’s overall performance.

 “I like that my coaches always keep a positive attitude during games and that they help every player when they need it the most,” Babic said. “They don’t just help the varsity players.  They help everyone.”  

Prelich agreed that Hayden and McLaughlin help out all players.

After coaching for Baldwin for four years and coaching overall for more than 25 years, Hayden understands all of the hard work that goes into becoming great at tennis.

“To get good at this sport, you have to have the desire to hit the ball a million times,” Hayden said, referring to the relentless work ethic he really wants to see in his players.

Prelich said that tennis combines elements of team and individual sports.

“It’s an individual sport and sometimes you’re out there by yourself” Prelich said, explaining why he loves the game. “It’s a chance to test your own abilities and it’s a little different than just a team sport.”