As a coaching staff, we believe that giving students the opportunity to be part of a sports team is a crucial component of youth development. We believe that being part of a team builds a community that students desperately need and gives them something to believe in.
With that said, there are social clubs available at Bloomington South for students who want a casual atmosphere. We are not a social club.
Students wanting to join the tradition of our state-ranked tennis program will need to demonstrate a year-round commitment to physical fitness, tennis skill development, and the desire to uphold the positive character & culture we are developing as a team.
We will not make any promises about the total number of players on the team. No one has a guaranteed spot. Decisions regarding the size of the team will be made after we see how many players have worked to develop during the off-season.
All coaches remain committed to building an inclusive tennis program. We will keep a lower skilled tennis player who is bought in and working hard during the off-season, over someone that might have some natural athletic ability, but isn't committed to developing their skills further. We want players on the team who love the game of tennis and work-hard year round regardless of natural athletic ability.
FALL 2025 BOYS TRYOUTS (August 4 - August 6) : ALL REQUIRED PAPERWORK NEEDS TO BE ON FILE IN THE ATHLETIC OFFICE BY THURSDAY, July 24. PAPERWORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED ON THE FIRST DAY OF TRYOUTS. If a player is unable to tryout due to paperwork not being submitted by 7/24, this will have a direct impact on their ability to make the team.
SPRING 2026 GIRLS TRYOUTS (March 23-24): ALL REQUIRED PAPERWORK NEEDS TO BE ON FILE IN THE ATHLETIC OFFICE BY THURSDAY, MARCH 12. PAPERWORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED DURING SPRING BREAK OR ON THE FIRST DAY OF TRYOUTS. If a player is unable to tryout due to paperwork not being submitted by 3/12, this will have a direct impact on their ability to make the team.
Varsity roster will consist of the top 8-10 players on the team. Coaches will decide where the natural cut-off is for players that will figure into our varsity rotation. These spots are decided based on a combination of the following: UTR & WTN (developed through tournament play during the off-season), challenge matches, coachability, year-round commitment to the team and personal development.
JV Roster will be solely based on coach discretion. Winning challenge matches alone is not enough to secure your spot on the JV roster. The best way to secure your spot on our JV roster is demonstrating your commitment to the team during the off-season by meeting the off-season expectations.
Please Note: There are only 6 practices between tryouts and the first team match. Tennis is unlike other sports that can have players sit the bench until they are ready to be eased into a few minutes of competitive play at a time. With tennis, after only 6 practices, players are on the court, facing another player for an entire match and they are responsible for independently keeping score and knowing how a match functions. Therefore, the tennis season is NOT the time to "learn" how to play tennis. There are many opportunities during the off-season for new players to learn the game and for returning players to improve skills.
All players should come to tryouts with an understanding of the following:
How to keep score
Serving and Service Rotation
Basic Singles and Doubles Positioning
Basic Grips and Strokes
Ability to independently play a competitive match against another player
All players should have the following baseline level of fitness:
Run 1.5 miles in less than 15 minutes.
Jump Rope for 3 minutes with minimal stopping (only to adjust rope)
All returning players are expected to DEMONSTRATE IMPROVEMENT in their tennis skills from the previous season and to meet the off-season expectations.