Leyna Nguyen
Susie Svendsgaard
English Composition II
12 March 2023
Profile of a Discourse Community Girl’s Tennis is a hidden gem at Sterling High School in Somerdale, New Jersey. The tennis courts are located on the far side of the school, so the team is physically isolated from where the rest of the fall sports play. The team receives little public attention and as a result, the tennis program receives less funding than the more popular soccer or football programs. Perhaps this is because of stereotypes around the sport. Tennis is regarded as a “noncompetitive” and “ladylike” sport. These stereotypes crossed my mind as I hesitantly joined the tennis team during my freshman year. I did not know what to expect, but I hoped to make new friends
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Unlike soccer or football where players play as teams, tennis is played in multiple, separate matches. The three best players on the team play singles (1v1) and the rest of the team play doubles (2v2). With an average of twenty five to thirty girls on the team per season, a game day can consist of up to fifteen separate matches. By its nature, tennis is an individual sport, and the success of the team does not necessarily require the players to get along. It would be easy for each player to focus on their individual matches. However, Sterling Girls Tennis manages to develop a team where the whole is greater than the sum of its …show more content…
The Girl’s Tennis season begins in early August and lasts until mid-October, so each member dedicates a portion of their summer vacation and school year to the sport. They spend at least ten hours a week with one another. It is hard not to develop a close bond after spending that much time together. The team’s head coach, Rob Strauss, recognizes this bond and refers to the team as a “tennis family” (Strauss). Coach Strauss has been a part of the tennis program at Sterling for nearly seven years, and he is the only constant person on the team. Former player Tilia Barksdale refers to him as the “heart of the tennis team” and believes that he is the reason why the “tennis family” exists