With an 11-3 record for both Varsity and Junior Varsity, Irvington’s boys tennis team has concluded another successful season marked with many accomplishments. Head Coach Barry Poole, along with the student captains for Varsity and Junior Varsity, worked hard during the season. The team’s work paid off as Coach Poole described that he “was pleased with how the team performed overall.” 

There were several players who achieved distinctions this season. Coach Poole explains that “Anish was able to finish out the season 1 and 1 against Agastya Jampani.” Additionally, the team’s #2 player, Rishabh Bharadwaj (9), was able to finish with 2nd team all league honors. Vihaan Sharma (10) and Tanay Mahesh (12) also earned honorable mention all league honors at the end of the season. Tanay and Vihaan, unfortunately, came up short during a tough 3-setter against American High School at MVALs. 

Team members were advised to practice during the off-season and prioritize the sport to ensure they continually grow. Growth can often be stagnant when players are practicing only during the school season. 

Varsity Captains Srivant Chalemcherla (12) and Tanay Mahesh (12) led the team to have an open and friendly atmosphere, especially amongst the underclassmen. “Having a leadership role makes me understand that I am making a difference in other people’s lives,” says Chalemcherla. Personally, he found that the sport is calming and allows him to release his emotions. He attributes his success to the fact that he “never took it super seriously,” and avoided tying himself to the goal of “making it pro.” 

However, for this season, the team merchandise arrived quite late, which may have decreased team pride. Other teams were proudly representing their schools during matches and events, but Irvington did not share the same opportunity for most of the season. 

With highs and lows, the season was certainly one to remember. Whether it be an avoidable defeat against Mission San Jose’s team or improving in the rankings, Irvington boys tennis has certainly come out this season as a stronger team. “They battled all the way through the last point, making their opponents beat them, and didn’t beat themselves,” reflected Coach Poole. “I am looking forward to next season. It should be as rewarding as this season was for me.”