The tennis concentration program, run by Coach Edgar Giffenig and Head Coach Joshua Smith, is open to all JV and Varsity players. Coach Giffenig, tennis program director, said, “Tennis concentration is encouraged for all players who are serious about the sport and want access to playing time during the off-season.”
Since the Ford Indoor Tennis Courts are currently being used for temporary dining, the program takes place at Silo Ridge, a private club 20 minutes away from campus in Amenia, NY.
Players practice on two bubbled courts and are coached from 4-6:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Girls Varsity Tennis member Minnie Li ’26 said, “The practice and drills are pretty similar to normal practice, though harder to execute with the time and space constraints that we face.”
Currently, 14 players participate in the program and work with the coaches on basic drills and individualized skills. Coach Giffenig said, “We are all working out together and focusing on specific things individually— ground strokes, volleys, overhead, serves, and returns. Each student has areas where they have a hard time, and we are focusing on fundamentals throughout the whole practice as well.”
When the Ford courts were available, the program took place four days a week and allowed players access to a larger number of courts. Players were also able to practice outside of the scheduled co-curricular. Current Preps and Lower Mids have not yet experienced this higher-intensity level training, since this is the second year the school has been practicing at Silo Ridge.
After the renovation of the Dining Hall is completed, the program will resume in the Ford indoor courts.
