Columbus East High School

Columbus East Athletics sat down with head coach Adam Ulrich to talk about the upcoming boys tennis season. With no seniors on the roster, a mix of returning juniors and promising underclassmen will lead the way as the Olympians look to turn offseason work into on-court success. What are some things you’re looking forward to with this year’s group? “We are looking forward to being way more competitive this year,” Ulrich said. “We have had a great offseason and the boys have put in a lot of work on the courts to improve in all areas of their game.” Who are some returning players you’ll be leaning on for leadership and experience? “We are looking to some juniors this year to lead our team,” Ulrich explained. “We have no seniors this year, so everyone will be asked to step up. Trevor Ernst and Micah Wettschurack are our most experienced guys and they will be playing crucial roles on varsity for us this year.” What have you seen in practice so far that has encouraged you? “Our boys have been working really hard in practice to increase our power and speed on the courts,” Ulrich said. “We are getting faster and the boys are showing a lot of growth in adding power to their ground strokes. We are also showing a huge improvement in our consistency while serving.” How are the younger or less experienced players progressing? “The returning sophomores have put in quite a few hours over the summer and winter making huge strides,” Ulrich noted. “The two freshmen this year are bringing a lot of experience and will be competing at varsity in singles. They are showing a lot of promise.” What are some goals you’ve set for the team this season? “Our goals are to have a winning season, be in the sectional finals, and win at least one round of the HHC tournament,” Ulrich said. What do you hope fans will notice about this team when they take the court? “I hope our fans will see a group of boys that are doing everything they can to hit one more ball back in play,” Ulrich said. “Our plan is to be competitive and push our opponents to make mistakes.” With a roster committed to growth and competition, the Olympians are ready to make their mark this season—one rally at a time. The Olympians have an official scrimmage tonight, August 13th at Shelbyville High School. Then they kickoff the regular season on Saturday at 10 a.m. with a tri-match at Greenwood H.S. featuring the Olympians, Greenwood H.S. and Hauser H.S. Good luck Olympians!