With the departure of coach Sue, the former Berkley JV tennis coach is the arrival of a new one: Allie Sperl. Sperl graduated from Berkley High School in the class of 2017 and was a part of the tennis team all four years of her time in high school. Here is more to know about her and how she plans to make her mark as a coach after already being involved as a student.
Sperl is ecstatic to be a coach this season. “When I was asked if coaching for the JV team is something I would do, saying yes was a no-brainer.” Because she has been through the experience as a student, she hopes to bring what she learned during her time on the team to her time as a coach. She understands what it’s like to be a part of the team, so she also hopes to bring that perspective to the members.
One thing that Sperl was looking forward to doing was running tryouts. “Me and the Varsity coach held tryouts at the Franklin Athletic Club, and it was so great to meet everyone as well as see a few familiar faces. I have never been on the other end of a tryout before, so it was an interesting experience to start my time as a coach.” Tryouts were held on the week of March 11th, and practice will begin soon after.
With a new team and a new coach, there is a lot to look forward to this tennis season. Sperl is the most excited about the first match of the season. “Prior to the first match, the team and I will be working very hard to improve skills, and all of that work has already led me to anticipate the first match of the season. I can’t wait to see all of the hard work be put into the actual game.” Sperl has a lot to look forward to!
When asked about goals for this upcoming season, Sperl stated clear ideas for the future of the team. “By the end of the season, I hope to achieve the goal of seeing growth in every single one of the girls. Some have tons of tennis experience and some are more beginners, so I just hope that all of them feel like they have improved and feel more confident in their tennis skills. I also hope that when it comes time for the matches the girls feel as ready as possible, and we do everything we can no matter what happens.”
Overall, coach Allie Sperl is a refreshing new addition to the Berkley athletics staff, and from everything she said, the JV team has an exciting and rewarding season ahead of them!
