The DeKalb Girls tennis team looks to repeat its run from last season.
DeKalb’s appearance in the regional championship matched their longest run in program history. The Lady Tigers finished with a record of 10-5 and 6-1 on the road. DeKalb Girls Tennis Head Coach Brian Cadle said he noticed the chemistry improve during each trip.
“The investment of time and effort and travel and the cost of tournaments, the girls really bought in to the year-long vision of not putting up the racket,” Cadle said.
DeKalb will bring back most of its team this season. The Tigers lost one senior in the spring. Cadle said the roster continues to believe in the future of the program.
“My girls team, and the boys team, have just really bought into just the continual play and the continual training of tennis,” Cadle said.
Cadle and the Lady Tigers will see many teams outside the Upper Cumberland early on in the season. Cadle said he makes that decision by design.
“It really gives the kids a chance to see top level competition at an early stage,” Cadle said. “Having that high standard set there at the beginning of the season just really gives us something to shoot for as we progress on into the other matches.”
The Tigers played six of their first seven tennis matches last season away from their district, going 4-2 during that stretch. DeKalb will face similar teams this season, including Shelbyville and Middle Tennessee Christian.
