By FRED KRONER
Adding girls’ tennis was never part of the long-term plan for 2020 at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
It only became a reality as the COVID-19 pandemic took away other opportunities for girls at SJ-O when the school year started.
Volleyball was pushed to a Feb. 15 start by the Illinois High School Association. So was football, which meant there would be no games for cheerleaders this fall.
Boys’ soccer was also shifted to early 2021. At SJ-O, soccer is a co-ed sport.
“A few of the girls got together and noticed that girls’ tennis was still eligible to be played in high school this fall,” volunteer coach Kevin Martlage said. “With that in mind, they got their friends together to see what the interest level was for a tennis team.”
Seven girls said they would play.
“I then called (athletic director) Justin Franzen at the school to see if this would be a possibility, and to let them know that I would be happy to volunteer as the coach,” Martlage said. “He spoke with the rest of the administration and they approved us as a club sport with the school for the fall season.”
That news was greeted by three other SJ-O girls electing to join the fledgling program. For all 10 squad members, this is their first time playing competitive tennis.
Martlage is a former high school tennis player at Martinsville, Ind., and he didn’t mind stepping into the coaching role.
“I’ve always loved the sport,” he said.
Franzen scheduled the Spartans six regular-season meets.
The first contest was Monday (Sept. 14) against Schlarman Academy at the Danville Tennis Center.
SJ-O dropped a 6-3 decision to the Hilltoppers, but registered two wins in singles and one in doubles.
The singles winners were Emma Rydell and Abby Dow, sophomores who had previously played volleyball in the fall.
Rydell rallied to win her match 5-7, 6-2, 19-17. Dow was victorious in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.
In doubles, the duo of senior Sophia Martlage and junior Hope Rajlich was triumphant, 8-1. Sophia Martlage has played soccer in the past. Rajlich has been involved in cross-country.
Despite the opening-meet outcome, there was nothing but satisfaction from Kevin Martlage after the team made its official debut.
“The girls have done a terrific job picking up the fundamentals of tennis very quickly,” he said. “In just a few short weeks, they have become not only knowledgeable of the game of tennis, but have also shown a determination and work ethic that has allowed them to continue to advance their skills very quickly.
“While they were all a bit nervous for their first match against Schlarman, they took the court with determination and a fantastic effort for the first-ever tennis match for themselves and SJ-O High School. While we did not win, each girl left it all out there on the court. They really enjoyed it and the parents and I had a lot of fun cheering them on.”
The Spartans practice at Kolb Park for 90 minutes four days a week, taking Thursdays off. They will not have any home matches and will return to action on Monday (Sept. 21) against Bloomington Central Catholic at McGraw Park.
“The entire process of getting the team started and coaching the girls has been great,” Kevin Martlage said. “The school has been very supportive and helpful and you couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to coach.
“Like everyone else, they were disappointed that the fall sports season had been postponed due to COVID-19. However, their commitment to staying active, representing their school and their desire to play sports, even if it means playing something they have never played before, provided them with a unique opportunity that they are taking full advantage of.
“I cannot wait to see what the rest of the season will bring.”
Other matches will be Sept. 28 at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, Sept. 29 at Urbana (Blair Park), Oct. 5 at Champaign (Spalding Park) and Oct. 9 at Watseka.
The IHSA has set aside the third week of October for postseason play and Kevin Martlage said, “we are waiting on what that will formally look like as things with COVID-19 continue.”
Other squad members – and their previous fall activity, if any – include senior Emily Fisher (volleyball), senior Flannery McCorkel (cheerleading), junior Clare Huffman (volleyball), junior Allison Kearney, junior Grace Schmitz and sophomore Katie McDermott (volleyball).
Whether tennis is a one-year option or a permanent addition to the SJ-O sports repertoire is still to be determined.
“Right now, we are in uncharted times,” Franzen said, “but we are trying to make the most of it.
“We are simply following COVID-19 guidelines, and because girls’ volleyball is not a fall sport like it normally is, we have simply made some adjustments, which is why we have a girls’ tennis team this year.
“At the moment, we are just thankful to be able to see our student-athletes compete in girls’ tennis, cross-country and golf. It is too early to see what the fall of 2021 looks like. If we need to make adjustments to fall sports like we have during the fall of 2020, we will do so in order to give more opportunities to our student-athletes.”
