Patriot News MN

Head Bulldog girls tennis coach Nathan Bucher has a challenge this year — a challenge that is both difficult and exciting.

“We have some of the most numbers in grades 7-12 we’ve ever had,” he said. “Altogether, we have 49 girls out. We’ve lost 12 girls in the last two years, six each year. Thats a whole team.”

Bucher has had his young team on the courts regularly for practices to see where some of the young, competitive tennis players will fill the open varsity spots. Early on, he has the girls practice the repetition of basic strokes and stresses good conditioning.

“A lot of our match days are multiple matches in one day,” he said. “So the girls could potentially end up playing six full sets in one day, so its very important that they are ready for that.”

Bucher says as the line-up starts to get clearer, then he really starts working individually with the girls on strategy within points.

“I believe we can be very competitive in our season, maybe ending up around .500,” the head coach said. “Playoffs, we’ll see some tough teams that didn’t lose many. Willmar in the south will be a tough team to beat and Tech is very strong again this year.”

Bucher expects Taylor Pawlicki to be his #1 singles player most of the year. He says he knows that’s a lot of pressure for the junior “but when she settles into her groove, she can rally with anyone and start to frustrate her opponent,” he said.

“But then she can come in on a short ball and rip a backhand winner crosscourt.”

Freshman Anna Ritchie will play at #2 singles, and Bucher expects, as a freshman, she is going to start finding her sweet spot between power and consistency.

Bucher’s #3 singles player at the start of this season will be junior Blair Pappenfus.

“This is her first year playing consistently on varsity and she has a lot of potential once she gains confidence,” he said.

Courtney Nuest, an eighth-grader, is beginning to look like a good fit for Bucher at #4 singles.

“There might be some other opportunities to try some doubles with Courtney as the year goes on,” he says, “but she has been playing well as an eighth grader stepping up to varsity this year.”

On doubles, the head coach is pleased with his #1 duo in sophomores Hannah Bengtson and Megan Nelson.

“They are going to have some really tough matches sometimes playing the other team’s best players, but I see a lot of good things happening already in the season,” Bucher said. “Once they gain confidence in the aggressive play needed at #1 doubles, they will have a solid season.”

No. 2 doubles is a position Bucher sees a lot excitement with sophomore Ally Kangas and junior Payton Bernstrom playing smartly.

“They both play at a high level of intensity and have really started communicating well on the court,” he said.

No. 3 doubles is the slot Bucher is most unsettled about. Currently he has junior Emily Kotten and eighth-grader Alayna Lindquist playing that spot and doing well together.

“They’ve both put in quite a bit of time this summer to work to where they are right now,” he said. “They both know that there are four or five girls right behind them working to try for their spots as well, so they are being pushed well.”

The other girls vying for spots are senior Laura Niday, senior Nicole Knudsen, eighth-grader Julia Bengtson, senior Abbey Robinson and junior Summer Somrock.

“That group is also very hungry, so its a good team competitiveness,” Bucher said.

Bucher has Megan Borkoski and Ellie Tobako co-coaching the JV squad this year.

“I ran into Ellie after graduating two years ago and asked if she’d like to help out,” Bucher said. “It worked out well for scheduling purposes and is fun to have a graduate that wants to come back and help out.”

Bucher says Borkoski has been with his program off-and-on for quite a few years.

“It is great with to have her connecting with the girls.”

Becker’s junior high coach this year is Gretchyn Quernemoen, who has also helped out a couple years ago and is excited to be back with the program.

“I have a group of great role models and that makes the job that much easier,” said Bucher. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t say we will miss Coach Rob Olsen, who was with our program for the last 10 years, but we’re happy for him in his new move.”

Bucher says one of his strengths as the varsity head coach is his ability to relate to players. He says he tries to put things into perspective.

“So much of tennis is mental,” he said. “You can really start to feel the stress of seeing your mistakes make a difference in winning and losing. So its important to try and regroup and find a rhythm.”

Bucher’s biggest goal with this year’s team is helping the students develop as people.

“Like I said earlier, so much of tennis is about mental toughness, overcoming and being able to see things in perspective,” he says. “Our tennis program has always prided itself on being a group of people with great character. And that is continuing.”

Schedule:

Aug. 23 vs. Aitkin;

Aug. 25 @ NLS;

Aug. 25 @ Melrose;

Aug. 27 @ St. Cloud Tech;

Aug. 29 @ Brainerd;

Aug. 29 @ Virginia;

Aug. 30 @ Buffalo

Sept. 1 @ Cambridge;

Sept. 1 @ Osseo;

Sept. 10 @ Monticello;

Sept. 10 @ Willmar;