Glen Lake senior Belle Peplinski never stopped asking for a girls tennis team at her school.
After being persistent, Glen Lake started a girls tennis team last year, with major growth expected in its second season this spring as the Lakers hit the court.
“I was trying to do my best, but I just couldn’t grow as fast as the people around me were. And so getting a girls team will be beneficial to me, but I also remember people that I played with in middle school who were girls who didn’t want to play on the co-ed team because they were embarrassed or not confident in themselves to play,” Peplinski said. “We can play on a girls team and better ourselves and play a sport that we love."
Glen Lake will now be able to use the courts year-round for competition, as the Lakers have arguably the most notable tennis facility in Leelanau County.
“The girls I play with today will be my friends for years, and we can pick up a racket whenever we want. My coach always says it’s a lifelong sport, which is definitely a reason students should join the girls tennis team. It’s just really fun to have family that you can’t get anywhere else,” Peplinski said.
Glen Lake tennis fell against Elk Rapids Tuesday as Peplinski pushed her opponent, 6-2, 6-2.
The Lakers started the season last week with a match at Traverse City St. Francis.
Peplinski wants to improve her forehand and is trying her best to maintain the right mindset for herself and the team.
Glen Lake junior Imogen Thompson is ready to improve this season, and she is beyond pumped to have a girls team to level the competition.
“This means more playing time. I’m a competitive person, and playing against almost seven- foot-tall senior boys, when I’m five foot tall, maybe wasn’t the best setup,” Thompson said. “I enjoy being able to play against people at my own level, not to say that girls are worse than boys.”
Thompson, who juggles tennis with an intense engineering schedule and being on the robotics team as a student, hopes the sport will strengthen her mindset.
“I really just want to work on staying focused in the game and being able to have more fun,” she said.
Glen Lake junior Favour Kuncaitis is beyond proud to see the program going in its second year.
“I’m excited for the best rides with all the teammates … This is only my second year playing tennis, but I played a little bit when I was younger. I was convinced to play last year, and I have no regrets,” Kuncaitis said. “I’m hoping that everyone can do really well this year, and I have no doubts that they will because we have a pretty versatile team and a good coach.”
Kuncaitis lost in her Match at Elk Rapids Tuesday 6-2, 6-1.
Glen Lake’s coach is Erin Mitchell who is in her second year leading the program.
“You can see they love it,” Mitchell said.
